Forklift operator vs fork truck operator

The differences between forklift operators 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 operator and a fork truck operator. Additionally, a forklift operator has an average salary of $34,213, which is higher than the $32,272 average annual salary of a fork truck operator.

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

Forklift operator vs fork truck operator overview

	Forklift Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Yearly salary	$34,213	$32,272
Hourly rate	$16.45	$15.52
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	213,020	117,624
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 59%	High School Diploma, 51%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Forklift operator vs fork truck operator salary

Forklift operators and fork truck operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Forklift Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Average salary	$34,213	$32,272
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $42,000	Between $26,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	Minneapolis, MN	Grand Forks, ND
Highest paying state	North Dakota	Alaska
Best paying company	DeWitt LLP Law Firm	Seneca Foods
Best paying industry	Automotive	Finance

Differences between forklift operator and fork truck operator education

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

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

Forklift operator vs fork truck operator demographics

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

	Forklift Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0%	Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 16.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 2.5% White, 55.9% 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%

Differences between forklift operator and fork truck operator duties and responsibilities

Forklift operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Position forks under, over, or around load pallets, boxes, products, and transports load to designate area.
Transport raw materials to storage or point of production base on FIFO.
Remove press parts from line and place into WIP locations by FIFO.
Perform safety checks on machines; and troubleshoot problems during machine operation.
Start working as an order selector picking orders and wrapping for shipment.

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.

Forklift operator vs fork truck operator skills

Common forklift operator skills

Pallets, 18%
Basic Math, 6%
Electric Pallet Jack, 5%
OSHA, 5%
Safety Procedures, 5%
Load Trucks, 4%

Common fork truck operator skills

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

Forklift Operator vs. similar jobs

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Transportation Industry
Forklift Operator
Forklift Operator vs Fork Truck Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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