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The differences between cherry picker operators and terminal 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 cherry picker operator and a terminal operator. Additionally, a terminal operator has an average salary of $39,948, which is higher than the $33,956 average annual salary of a cherry picker operator.
The top three skills for a cherry picker operator include cherry-picker, pallets and rf scanner. The most important skills for a terminal operator are loaders, cranes, and rail cars.
| Cherry Picker Operator | Terminal Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $33,956 | $39,948 |
| Hourly rate | $16.32 | $19.21 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 105,023 | 43,328 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 62% | High School Diploma, 34% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Cherry pickers perform a safe and efficient operation of motorized lift vehicles in pulling customer order-based products. The cherry pickers manage different warehouse operating systems and associates to support processing and internal order logistics. They perform preventive maintenance on pallet packs, machines, cherry pickers, and forklifts. It is part of their job to count, verify, and check documents for completeness and accuracy. The skills to develop for this job include warehouse environment, clamp, and pallet jack operations.
A terminal operator is responsible for assisting daily operations within the transportation or manufacturing agencies. Terminal operators inspect the stability and efficiency of equipment and machinery to ensure its optimal performance during operational processes. They conduct quality control tests to determine inconsistencies in terminal functions and strategize techniques to enhance distribution policies. A terminal operator must have excellent organizational and mechanical skills to maintain terminal equipment and assist the team in performing duties to achieve business goals and objectives.
Cherry picker operators and terminal operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cherry Picker Operator | Terminal Operator | |
| Average salary | $33,956 | $39,948 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $41,000 | Between $32,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | Eagan, MN | Fargo, ND |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | United Natural Foods | Land O'Lakes |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Construction |
There are a few differences between a cherry picker operator and a terminal operator in terms of educational background:
| Cherry Picker Operator | Terminal Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 62% | High School Diploma, 34% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between cherry picker operators' and terminal operators' demographics:
| Cherry Picker Operator | Terminal Operator | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.5% Female, 23.5% | Male, 82.5% Female, 17.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 16.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.6% Asian, 2.4% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 15.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 2.9% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |