Cutter operator vs lift operator

The differences between cutter operators and lift 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 lift operator. Additionally, a cutter operator has an average salary of $33,960, which is higher than the $32,309 average annual salary of a lift operator.

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

Cutter operator vs lift operator overview

	Cutter Operator	Lift Operator
Yearly salary	$33,960	$32,309
Hourly rate	$16.33	$15.53
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	65,046	72,445
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 58%	High School Diploma, 53%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Cutter operator vs lift operator salary

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

	Cutter Operator	Lift Operator
Average salary	$33,960	$32,309
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $41,000	Between $26,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	Grand Forks, ND	Fremont, CA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Alaska
Best paying company	Schreiber Foods	BD
Best paying industry	Automotive	Automotive

Differences between cutter operator and lift operator education

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

	Cutter Operator	Lift Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 58%	High School Diploma, 53%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Cutter operator vs lift operator demographics

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

	Cutter Operator	Lift Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 81.2% Female, 18.8%	Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9%
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, 15.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 2.6% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between cutter operator and lift 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.

Lift operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Use AS400 to take yarn out of inventory.
Load and unload ship cargo using wenches or other hoisting devices.
Check forklift for problems such as fluid levels, tires and forks.
Load and unload trucks with as sit down with slip sheet and double forks attachment practicing a safe environment.
Record inventory and reroute misplaced pallets at rack locations to the correct location

Cutter operator vs lift operator skills

Common cutter operator skills

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

Common lift operator skills

Pallets, 17%
Fork-Lift, 14%
Electric Pallet Jack, 10%
Safety Rules, 9%
Power Saws, 4%
Load Trucks, 4%

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Transportation Industry
Cutter Operator
Cutter Operator vs Lift Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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