Dry end operator vs lift truck operator

The differences between dry end operators and lift truck 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 lift truck operator. Additionally, a dry end operator has an average salary of $37,169, which is higher than the $36,973 average annual salary of a lift truck operator.

The top three skills for a dry end operator include safety rules, calipers and pallets. The most important skills for a lift truck operator are pallets, safety procedures, and load trailers.

Dry end operator vs lift truck operator overview

	Dry End Operator	Lift Truck Operator
Yearly salary	$37,169	$36,973
Hourly rate	$17.87	$17.78
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	71,786	103,337
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 47%	High School Diploma, 53%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Dry end operator vs lift truck operator salary

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

	Dry End Operator	Lift Truck Operator
Average salary	$37,169	$36,973
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $45,000	Between $29,000 And $46,000
Highest paying City	-	Springfield, OR
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Nestlé
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between dry end operator and lift truck operator education

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

	Dry End Operator	Lift Truck Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 47%	High School Diploma, 53%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Dry end operator vs lift truck operator demographics

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

	Dry End Operator	Lift Truck Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 78.5% Female, 21.5%	Male, 89.7% Female, 10.3%
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, 16.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 2.4% White, 57.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between dry end operator and lift truck 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.

Lift truck operator example responsibilities.

Certify on stand up/sit down forks, clamps, slip sheets and cherry picker
Used WMS system to adjust inventory, either in, out, or amounts.
Perform trailer inspections, loading and unloading inventory, RFT scanner experience, WMS.
Relocate pallets from receiving dock to desire location within warehouse.
Maintain accurate and timely documentation as is required by organization and OSHA.
Load and unload items from machines and dollies.

Dry end operator vs lift truck operator skills

Common dry end operator skills

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

Common lift truck operator skills

Pallets, 18%
Safety Procedures, 11%
Load Trailers, 6%
AS400, 5%
Electric Pallet Jack, 5%
Forks, 4%

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Dry End Operator
Dry End Operator vs Lift Truck Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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