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The differences between forklifts and cherry picker 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 and a cherry picker operator. Additionally, a cherry picker operator has an average salary of $33,956, which is higher than the $32,015 average annual salary of a forklift.
The top three skills for a forklift include pallets, sit-down forklift and basic math. The most important skills for a cherry picker operator are cherry-picker, pallets, and rf scanner.
| Forklift | Cherry Picker Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $32,015 | $33,956 |
| Hourly rate | $15.39 | $16.32 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 113,257 | 105,023 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 58% | High School Diploma, 62% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
The primary job of a forklift operator is to operate and manage forklifts used for moving, locating, relocating, stacking, and counting merchandise in various settings, such as construction sites and warehouses. As a forklift operator, you will unload shipments properly and safely, and stack and store them in their designated areas. In addition, you will need to report any quality variances and assist in physical inventories. Other duties that you may perform include ensuring that stock rotation is done properly, inspecting and performing preventative maintenance of forklift and other equipment, and ensuring that inventory security and control are maintained.
Cherry pickers perform a safe and efficient operation of motorized lift vehicles in pulling customer order-based products. The cherry pickers manage different warehouse operating systems and associates to support processing and internal order logistics. They perform preventive maintenance on pallet packs, machines, cherry pickers, and forklifts. It is part of their job to count, verify, and check documents for completeness and accuracy. The skills to develop for this job include warehouse environment, clamp, and pallet jack operations.
Forklifts and cherry picker operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Forklift | Cherry Picker Operator | |
| Average salary | $32,015 | $33,956 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $39,000 | Between $27,000 And $41,000 |
| Highest paying City | Grand Forks, ND | Eagan, MN |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Steel Dynamics | United Natural Foods |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a forklift and a cherry picker operator in terms of educational background:
| Forklift | Cherry Picker Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 58% | High School Diploma, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between forklifts' and cherry picker operators' demographics:
| Forklift | Cherry Picker Operator | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0% | Male, 76.5% Female, 23.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 16.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 2.5% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 16.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.6% Asian, 2.4% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |