Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between forklift operators 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 operator and a lift truck operator. Additionally, a lift truck operator has an average salary of $36,973, which is higher than the $34,213 average annual salary of a forklift operator.
The top three skills for a forklift operator include pallets, basic math and electric pallet jack. The most important skills for a lift truck operator are pallets, safety procedures, and load trailers.
| Forklift Operator | Lift Truck Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $34,213 | $36,973 |
| Hourly rate | $16.45 | $17.78 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 213,020 | 103,337 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 59% | High School Diploma, 53% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Forklift operators are skilled workers responsible for operating heavy equipment machines called forklifts. They are in charge of operating forklifts, a type of industrial or heavy equipment truck/machine that moves materials from one place to another through prongs protruding from the machine. Forklift operators are responsible for loading and unloading cargo, operating the machine to ensure that the cargo reaches its destination, and complying with safety protocols. They are also in-charge of maintenance work on the machine and reporting any challenges or issues that may be encountered. Forklift operators must be physically fit and alert at all times.
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.
Forklift operators and lift truck operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Forklift Operator | Lift Truck Operator | |
| Average salary | $34,213 | $36,973 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $42,000 | Between $29,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | Minneapolis, MN | Springfield, OR |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | Alaska |
| Best paying company | DeWitt LLP Law Firm | Nestlé |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Finance |
There are a few differences between a forklift operator and a lift truck operator in terms of educational background:
| Forklift Operator | Lift Truck Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 59% | High School Diploma, 53% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between forklift operators' and lift truck operators' demographics:
| Forklift Operator | 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, 16.5% 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, 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% |