Cutter operator vs forklift operator

The differences between cutter 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 cutter operator and a forklift operator. Additionally, a forklift operator has an average salary of $34,213, which is higher than the $33,960 average annual salary of a cutter operator.

The top three skills for a cutter operator include quality checks, pallets and math. The most important skills for a forklift operator are pallets, basic math, and electric pallet jack.

Cutter operator vs forklift operator overview

	Cutter Operator	Forklift Operator
Yearly salary	$33,960	$34,213
Hourly rate	$16.33	$16.45
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	65,046	213,020
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 58%	High School Diploma, 59%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Cutter operator vs forklift operator salary

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

	Cutter Operator	Forklift Operator
Average salary	$33,960	$34,213
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $41,000	Between $27,000 And $42,000
Highest paying City	Grand Forks, ND	Minneapolis, MN
Highest paying state	Alaska	North Dakota
Best paying company	Schreiber Foods	DeWitt LLP Law Firm
Best paying industry	Automotive	Automotive

Differences between cutter operator and forklift operator education

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

	Cutter Operator	Forklift Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 58%	High School Diploma, 59%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Cutter operator vs forklift operator demographics

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

	Cutter Operator	Forklift Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 81.2% Female, 18.8%	Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 15.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 2.9% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	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	4%	4%

Differences between cutter operator and forklift operator duties and responsibilities

Cutter operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Assist with other bindery operations in the department which include cutting, padding, collating, drilling and hole punching.
Perform specialized production line and quality control duties in a professional production environment specializing in plastic extrusion.
Inspect product for defects house keeping, AIB, preventive maintenance.

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.

Cutter operator vs forklift operator skills

Common cutter operator skills

Quality Checks, 12%
Pallets, 11%
Math, 10%
Troubleshoot, 7%
Quality Standards, 7%
Pallet Jack, 7%

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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Transportation Industry
Cutter Operator
Cutter Operator vs Forklift Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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