How To Become An Extruder Operator: What It Is and Career Path

What is an extruder operator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

An extruder operator is a person who sets up, operates, and maintains machinery used in the extrusion process. In doing this, they follow established procedures and customer requirements. They adjust, calibrate, and test equipment at the beginning of every shift to ensure it is in proper working condition. Also, they make repairs to equipment and replace all malfunctioning or worn-out parts. As an extruder operator, you are responsible for the maintenance and repair of extrusion machines.

Aside from having a high school diploma, an extruder operator may be required to complete an apprenticeship or formal training in the area of specialty. Job openings would require you to have at least two years of experience. You must be able to lift at least 50 pounds and read measurements. The salary of an extruder operator ranges between $34,376 and $45,511. However, on average, you should earn $38,734 annually.

ScoreExtruder OperatorUS Average

Salary

2.9

Avg. Salary $36,707

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

8.2

Growth Rate -5%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

9.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.77%

Asian 2.31%

Black or African American 9.74%

Hispanic or Latino 12.05%

Unknown 2.82%

White 72.31%

Gender

female 10.35%

male 89.65%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress Level

8.2

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

7.5

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

3.7

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

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Key steps to become an extruder operator

Explore extruder operator education requirements

Most common extruder operator degrees

High School Diploma

52.0 %

Associate

15.4 %

Diploma

13.2 %

Start to develop specific extruder operator skills

Skills	Percentages
Extrusion	13.38%
Quality Checks	6.94%
Hand Tools	6.58%
Extruders	6.20%
Math	5.37%

Complete relevant extruder operator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New extruder operators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an extruder operator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real extruder operator resumes.

Research extruder operator duties and responsibilities

Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
Preform preventative maintenance, troubleshooting, and adjustment/modification of extrusion processes as necessary to maintain production standards.
Doff lines, check and QA materials.
Train other operators on SPC and process improvements.

Prepare your extruder operator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your extruder operator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an extruder operator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Extruder Operator Resume templates

Build a professional Extruder Operator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Extruder Operator resume.

Apply for extruder operator jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an extruder operator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do extruder operators rate their job?

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Extruder Operator reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019

Cons

Short time at work that to day U not working we will call you when we have busy I need a full time job not part time

Pros

It challenging I love challenge to work as a operator it a very challenging job