Fork operator vs pallet jack operator

The differences between fork operators and pallet jack 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 fork operator and a pallet jack operator. Additionally, a fork operator has an average salary of $34,938, which is higher than the $34,098 average annual salary of a pallet jack operator.

The top three skills for a fork operator include load trucks, pallets and production lines. The most important skills for a pallet jack operator are pallets, electric pallet jack, and safety regulations.

Fork operator vs pallet jack operator overview

	Fork Operator	Pallet Jack Operator
Yearly salary	$34,938	$34,098
Hourly rate	$16.80	$16.39
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	54,785	136,563
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 52%	High School Diploma, 63%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Fork operator vs pallet jack operator salary

Fork operators and pallet jack operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Fork Operator	Pallet Jack Operator
Average salary	$34,938	$34,098
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $41,000	Between $28,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	-	Denver, CO
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Cargill
Best paying industry	-	Manufacturing

Differences between fork operator and pallet jack operator education

There are a few differences between a fork operator and a pallet jack operator in terms of educational background:

	Fork Operator	Pallet Jack Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 52%	High School Diploma, 63%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Fork operator vs pallet jack operator demographics

Here are the differences between fork operators' and pallet jack operators' demographics:

	Fork Operator	Pallet Jack Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 92.2% Female, 7.8%	Male, 89.5% Female, 10.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 16.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 3.0% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 17.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 2.7% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between fork operator and pallet jack operator duties and responsibilities

Fork operator example responsibilities.

Perform specialized production line and quality control duties in a professional production environment specializing in plastic extrusion.
Perform specialized production line and quality control duties in a professional production environment specializing in plastic extrusion.

Pallet jack operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Perform specialized production line and quality control duties in a professional production environment specializing in plastic extrusion.
Promote to pallet jack operator for re-hang area
Operate pallet jack move material through facility and perform routine maintenance on equipment
Comply with all OSHA and MSDS standards.
Comply with all OSHA and MSDS standards by reporting quality variances.

Fork operator vs pallet jack operator skills

Common fork operator skills

Load Trucks, 26%
Pallets, 22%
Production Lines, 15%
RF, 8%
Safety Rules, 8%
Materials Handling, 4%

Common pallet jack operator skills

Pallets, 33%
Electric Pallet Jack, 23%
Safety Regulations, 6%
RF Scanner, 6%
Basic Math, 6%
Warehouse Environment, 3%

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Fork Operator
Fork Operator vs Pallet Jack Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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