Fork truck operator vs material handler/forklift operator

The differences between fork truck operators and material handler/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 fork truck operator and a material handler/forklift operator. Additionally, a material handler/forklift operator has an average salary of $36,453, which is higher than the $32,272 average annual salary of a fork truck operator.

The top three skills for a fork truck operator include pallets, safety procedures and load trucks. The most important skills for a material handler/forklift operator are pallets, safety procedures, and electric pallet jack.

Fork truck operator vs material handler/forklift operator overview

	Fork Truck Operator	Material Handler/Forklift Operator
Yearly salary	$32,272	$36,453
Hourly rate	$15.52	$17.53
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	117,624	168,379
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 59%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Fork truck operator vs material handler/forklift operator salary

Fork truck operators and material handler/forklift operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Fork Truck Operator	Material Handler/Forklift Operator
Average salary	$32,272	$36,453
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $39,000	Between $29,000 And $45,000
Highest paying City	Grand Forks, ND	Lakeville, MN
Highest paying state	Alaska	North Dakota
Best paying company	Seneca Foods	Nestlé
Best paying industry	Finance	Automotive

Differences between fork truck operator and material handler/forklift operator education

There are a few differences between a fork truck operator and a material handler/forklift operator in terms of educational background:

	Fork Truck Operator	Material Handler/Forklift Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 59%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Fork truck operator vs material handler/forklift operator demographics

Here are the differences between fork truck operators' and material handler/forklift operators' demographics:

	Fork Truck Operator	Material Handler/Forklift Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9%	Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.7% Asian, 1.9% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 16.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 2.4% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between fork truck operator and material handler/forklift operator duties and responsibilities

Fork truck operator example responsibilities.

Create and cataloge files for GMP library.
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.

Material handler/forklift operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Train in all aspects of warehousing, shipping, receiving using WMS.
Receive parts from the manufacturers and scan parts into the inventory using warehouse management system (WMS).
Perform specialized production line and quality control duties in a professional production environment specializing in plastic extrusion.
Determine require pallet count to meet the statistical receiving requirements.
Operate tools (hand truck, fork lift, dollies, hand jack), distribute materials to their designate departments.

Fork truck operator vs material handler/forklift operator skills

Common fork truck operator skills

Pallets, 19%
Safety Procedures, 10%
Load Trucks, 7%
Load Trailers, 6%
Pallet Jack, 6%
Assembly Line, 5%

Common material handler/forklift operator skills

Pallets, 19%
Safety Procedures, 10%
Electric Pallet Jack, 10%
Forklift Operation, 7%
RF Scanner, 6%
Assembly Line, 4%

Fork Truck Operator vs. similar jobs

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Transportation Industry
Fork Truck Operator
Fork Truck Operator vs Material Handler/Forklift Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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