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The differences between forklifts and lift 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 and a lift truck operator. Additionally, a lift truck operator has an average salary of $36,973, 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 lift truck operator are pallets, safety procedures, and load trailers.
| Forklift | Lift Truck Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $32,015 | $36,973 |
| Hourly rate | $15.39 | $17.78 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 113,257 | 103,337 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 58% | High School Diploma, 53% |
| 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.
A forklift operator is responsible for lifting and transporting heavy equipment and industrial trucks. They are responsible for loading and unloading products and delivering them from factories or storage facilities to another place like warehouses. This person operates a forklift to ensure the safety and efficacy of the product, cargo, and machine equipment. Also, they need to identify damages, deficiencies, and shortages. An operator reports how the day-to-day operation goes, and their goal is to ensure that the shipment will go to the right place.
Forklifts and lift truck operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Forklift | Lift Truck Operator | |
| Average salary | $32,015 | $36,973 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $39,000 | Between $29,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | Grand Forks, ND | Springfield, OR |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Steel Dynamics | Nestlé |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Finance |
There are a few differences between a forklift and a lift truck operator in terms of educational background:
| Forklift | Lift Truck Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 58% | High School Diploma, 53% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between forklifts' and lift truck operators' demographics:
| Forklift | Lift Truck Operator | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0% | Male, 89.7% Female, 10.3% |
| 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, 16.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 2.4% White, 57.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |