Extruder operator vs forklift operator

The differences between extruder operators and forklift operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an extruder operator has an average salary of $36,707, which is higher than the $34,213 average annual salary of a forklift operator.

The top three skills for an extruder operator include extrusion, quality checks and hand tools. The most important skills for a forklift operator are pallets, basic math, and electric pallet jack.

Extruder operator vs forklift operator overview

	Extruder Operator	Forklift Operator
Yearly salary	$36,707	$34,213
Hourly rate	$17.65	$16.45
Growth rate	-5%	7%
Number of jobs	66,729	213,020
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 52%	High School Diploma, 59%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	-	4

What does an extruder operator do?

An extruder operator's work is essential to industries such as automobile parts manufacturing and aerospace machine manufacturing. They control the machines that make and shape thermoplastic materials. They may also be responsible for training new staff to work on these machines. They also do maintenance on their tools, ensure products meet specifications, and create reports for their supervisors.

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.

Extruder operator vs forklift operator salary

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

	Extruder Operator	Forklift Operator
Average salary	$36,707	$34,213
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $45,000	Between $27,000 And $42,000
Highest paying City	Woburn, MA	Minneapolis, MN
Highest paying state	New Hampshire	North Dakota
Best paying company	Baker Hughes	DeWitt LLP Law Firm
Best paying industry	Automotive	Automotive

Differences between extruder operator and forklift operator education

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

	Extruder Operator	Forklift Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 52%	High School Diploma, 59%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Extruder operator vs forklift operator demographics

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

	Extruder Operator	Forklift Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 89.6% Female, 10.4%	Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 2.3% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	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	3%	4%

Differences between extruder operator and forklift operator duties and responsibilities

Extruder operator example responsibilities.

Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
Preform preventative maintenance, troubleshooting, and adjustment/modification of extrusion processes as necessary to maintain production standards.
Doff lines, check and QA materials.
Train other operators on SPC and process improvements.
Operate extruder, vast knowledge in ISO, quality inspection.
Inspect cable in process for resistivity and wall thickness, document on SPC charts.

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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.

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Extruder operator vs forklift operator skills

Common extruder operator skills

Extrusion, 13%
Quality Checks, 7%
Hand Tools, 7%
Extruders, 6%
Math, 5%
Safety Standards, 5%

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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Updated January 8, 2025

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