Fork operator vs terminal operator

The differences between fork operators and terminal 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 terminal operator. Additionally, a terminal operator has an average salary of $39,948, which is higher than the $34,938 average annual salary of a fork operator.

The top three skills for a fork operator include load trucks, pallets and production lines. The most important skills for a terminal operator are loaders, cranes, and rail cars.

Fork operator vs terminal operator overview

	Fork Operator	Terminal Operator
Yearly salary	$34,938	$39,948
Hourly rate	$16.80	$19.21
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	54,785	43,328
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 52%	High School Diploma, 34%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Fork operator vs terminal operator salary

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

	Fork Operator	Terminal Operator
Average salary	$34,938	$39,948
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $41,000	Between $32,000 And $48,000
Highest paying City	-	Fargo, ND
Highest paying state	-	Hawaii
Best paying company	-	Land O'Lakes
Best paying industry	-	Construction

Differences between fork operator and terminal operator education

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

	Fork Operator	Terminal Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 52%	High School Diploma, 34%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Fork operator vs terminal operator demographics

Here are the differences between fork operators' and terminal operators' demographics:

	Fork Operator	Terminal Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 92.2% Female, 7.8%	Male, 82.5% Female, 17.5%
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, 15.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 2.9% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between fork operator and terminal 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.

Terminal operator example responsibilities.

Manage the efficient use of locomotives and fuel to ensure that freight car cycles are effectively manage while in the terminals.
Operate forklift, loaders, bulldozers, excavators, ship hydraulic cranes.
Pull LTL loads for shipment.
Experience in Lock-Out/Tag-Out (LOTO).
Operate forklifts and loaders for loading aircraft.
Complete and signs declaration of inspection (Doi).

Fork operator vs terminal operator skills

Common fork operator skills

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

Common terminal operator skills

Loaders, 9%
Cranes, 9%
Rail Cars, 7%
Customer Service, 6%
TWIC, 5%
General Maintenance, 5%

Fork Operator vs. similar jobs

Fork Operator related careers

Fork Operator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Transportation Industry
Fork Operator
Fork Operator vs Terminal Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse transportation jobs