Cat operator vs fork truck operator

The differences between cat operators and fork truck operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a cat operator and a fork truck operator. Additionally, a cat operator has an average salary of $35,910, which is higher than the $32,272 average annual salary of a fork truck operator.

The top three skills for a cat operator include CDL, DIG and . The most important skills for a fork truck operator are pallets, safety procedures, and load trucks.

Cat operator vs fork truck operator overview

	Cat Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Yearly salary	$35,910	$32,272
Hourly rate	$17.26	$15.52
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	42,866	117,624
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 50%	High School Diploma, 51%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Cat operator vs fork truck operator salary

Cat operators and fork truck operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Cat Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Average salary	$35,910	$32,272
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $46,000	Between $26,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	-	Grand Forks, ND
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Seneca Foods
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between cat operator and fork truck operator education

There are a few differences between a cat operator and a fork truck operator in terms of educational background:

	Cat Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 50%	High School Diploma, 51%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Cat operator vs fork truck operator demographics

Here are the differences between cat operators' and fork truck operators' demographics:

	Cat Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 93.8% Female, 6.2%	Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 2.6% White, 60.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.7% Asian, 1.9% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between cat operator and fork truck operator duties and responsibilities

Cat operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Dig out around certains areas that hold too much snow and spread it out accordingly.
Provide leadership by establishing clear expectations and demonstrating high standards of work practices and safety conscious behavior.
Perform inventory accuracy transactions into MARC, load trailers, organize pallets into the warehouse and receive packaging materials.
Operate finish grade bulldozer with Topcon and/or Trimble G.P.S.
Provide troubleshooting, conflict management, and expedient resolution of technical and/or floor issues with solutions-orient leadership.

Fork truck operator example responsibilities.

Create and cataloge files for GMP library.
Perform specialized production line and quality control duties in a professional production environment specializing in plastic extrusion.
Perform specialized production line and quality control duties in a professional production environment specializing in plastic extrusion.

Cat operator vs fork truck operator skills

Common cat operator skills

CDL, 62%
DIG, 38%

Common fork truck operator skills

Pallets, 19%
Safety Procedures, 10%
Load Trucks, 7%
Load Trailers, 6%
Pallet Jack, 6%
Assembly Line, 5%

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Transportation Industry
Cat Operator
Cat Operator vs Fork Truck Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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