Dry end operator vs forklift operator

The differences between dry end 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 dry end operator and a forklift operator. Additionally, a dry end operator has an average salary of $37,169, which is higher than the $34,213 average annual salary of a forklift operator.

The top three skills for a dry end operator include safety rules, calipers and pallets. The most important skills for a forklift operator are pallets, basic math, and electric pallet jack.

Dry end operator vs forklift operator overview

	Dry End Operator	Forklift Operator
Yearly salary	$37,169	$34,213
Hourly rate	$17.87	$16.45
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	71,786	213,020
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 47%	High School Diploma, 59%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Dry end operator vs forklift operator salary

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

	Dry End Operator	Forklift Operator
Average salary	$37,169	$34,213
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $45,000	Between $27,000 And $42,000
Highest paying City	-	Minneapolis, MN
Highest paying state	-	North Dakota
Best paying company	-	DeWitt LLP Law Firm
Best paying industry	-	Automotive

Differences between dry end operator and forklift operator education

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

	Dry End Operator	Forklift Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 47%	High School Diploma, 59%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Dry end operator vs forklift operator demographics

Here are the differences between dry end operators' and forklift operators' demographics:

	Dry End Operator	Forklift Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 78.5% Female, 21.5%	Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 15.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 2.7% White, 60.2% 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 dry end operator and forklift operator duties and responsibilities

Dry end operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Set up and operate an extrusion machine in accordance with establish procedures and guidelines and customer requirements.
Use CMM, optical comparator, calipers, height gages, etc to check plastic components.

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.

Dry end operator vs forklift operator skills

Common dry end operator skills

Safety Rules, 19%
Calipers, 15%
Pallets, 11%
Basic Math, 10%
Quality Checks, 5%
Product Quality, 4%

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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Dry End Operator
Dry End Operator vs Forklift Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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