Crane operator vs forklift operator

The differences between crane operators and forklift 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 crane operator and a forklift operator. Additionally, a crane operator has an average salary of $54,275, which is higher than the $34,213 average annual salary of a forklift operator.

The top three skills for a crane operator include cranes, NCCCO and CDL. The most important skills for a forklift operator are pallets, basic math, and electric pallet jack.

Crane operator vs forklift operator overview

	Crane Operator	Forklift Operator
Yearly salary	$54,275	$34,213
Hourly rate	$26.09	$16.45
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	34,918	213,020
Job satisfaction	4.67	5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 59%
Average age	47	43
Years of experience	4	4

What does a crane operator do?

A crane operator's work involves the control of draglines or cranes to lift, move, position or place machinery, equipment, and other large objects at industrial or construction sites, ports, surface mines, railway yards, and other similar locations. Their tasks and duties include conducting crane maintenance such as lubricating and cleaning, inspecting cranes, and assembling tower cranes. Some of them work with all three cranes, namely the boom trucks, mobile cranes, and tower cranes, while others prefer to specialize.

What does a forklift operator do?

Forklift operators are skilled workers responsible for operating heavy equipment machines called forklifts. They are in charge of operating forklifts, a type of industrial or heavy equipment truck/machine that moves materials from one place to another through prongs protruding from the machine. Forklift operators are responsible for loading and unloading cargo, operating the machine to ensure that the cargo reaches its destination, and complying with safety protocols. They are also in-charge of maintenance work on the machine and reporting any challenges or issues that may be encountered. Forklift operators must be physically fit and alert at all times.

Crane operator vs forklift operator salary

Crane operators and forklift operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Crane Operator	Forklift Operator
Average salary	$54,275	$34,213
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $83,000	Between $27,000 And $42,000
Highest paying City	Vancouver, WA	Minneapolis, MN
Highest paying state	Washington	North Dakota
Best paying company	Katerra	DeWitt LLP Law Firm
Best paying industry	Energy	Automotive

Differences between crane operator and forklift operator education

There are a few differences between a crane operator and a forklift operator in terms of educational background:

	Crane Operator	Forklift Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 59%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Crane operator vs forklift operator demographics

Here are the differences between crane operators' and forklift operators' demographics:

	Crane Operator	Forklift Operator
Average age	47	43
Gender ratio	Male, 95.5% Female, 4.5%	Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 0.7% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%	Black or African American, 16.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 2.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	2%	4%

Differences between crane operator and forklift operator duties and responsibilities

Crane operator example responsibilities.

Perform preventive maintenance on cranes in accordance with manufacturer and OSHA requirements.
Train, test and certify to run all small and large hydraulic cranes through NCCCO.
Operate LBT and TLL cranes, loading and unloading concrete bridge girders in a precast yard in a production setting.
Rig cranes to handle constriction materials using appropriate nylon and wire rope slings, shackles and other material handling equipment.
Arch, MIG, and TIG welding.
Maintain and use appropriate PPE.

Forklift operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Position forks under, over, or around load pallets, boxes, products, and transports load to designate area.
Transport raw materials to storage or point of production base on FIFO.
Remove press parts from line and place into WIP locations by FIFO.
Perform safety checks on machines; and troubleshoot problems during machine operation.
Start working as an order selector picking orders and wrapping for shipment.

Crane operator vs forklift operator skills

Common crane operator skills

Cranes, 25%
NCCCO, 7%
CDL, 7%
OSHA, 4%
Hoisting, 4%
Safety Rules, 3%

Common forklift operator skills

Pallets, 18%
Basic Math, 6%
Electric Pallet Jack, 5%
OSHA, 5%
Safety Procedures, 5%
Load Trucks, 4%

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Crane Operator
Crane Operator vs Forklift Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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