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The differences between forklift drivers and fork 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 forklift driver and a fork truck operator. Additionally, a forklift driver has an average salary of $33,476, which is higher than the $32,272 average annual salary of a fork truck operator.
The top three skills for a forklift driver include pallets, electric pallet jack and safety procedures. The most important skills for a fork truck operator are pallets, safety procedures, and load trucks.
| Forklift Driver | Fork Truck Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $33,476 | $32,272 |
| Hourly rate | $16.09 | $15.52 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 116,516 | 117,624 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 61% | High School Diploma, 51% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Forklift drivers and fork truck operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Forklift Driver | Fork Truck Operator | |
| Average salary | $33,476 | $32,272 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $41,000 | Between $26,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Shakopee, MN | Grand Forks, ND |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | BD | Seneca Foods |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Finance |
There are a few differences between a forklift driver and a fork truck operator in terms of educational background:
| Forklift Driver | Fork Truck Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 61% | High School Diploma, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between forklift drivers' and fork truck operators' demographics:
| Forklift Driver | Fork Truck Operator | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.0% Female, 9.0% | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 15.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 2.5% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |