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The differences between forklift technicians and forklift 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 technician and a forklift operator. Additionally, a forklift technician has an average salary of $43,589, which is higher than the $34,213 average annual salary of a forklift operator.
The top three skills for a forklift technician include troubleshoot, preventative maintenance and safety procedures. The most important skills for a forklift operator are pallets, basic math, and electric pallet jack.
| Forklift Technician | Forklift Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $43,589 | $34,213 |
| Hourly rate | $20.96 | $16.45 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 179,388 | 213,020 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | High School Diploma, 59% |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Primarily, a forklift technician services and monitors forklifts and any other heavy industrial vehicles. Forklift technicians maintain tools, communicate with the salespeople, handle inventory, and utilize computer-based diagnostics on any equipment. Typically, they work in repair shops doing repair and troubleshooting tasks. They repair, rewire, and troubleshoot the electrical, electronic, and mechanical problems of vehicles. Among their other duties and responsibilities are shop analysis, equipment modification, diagnostics, electronic system troubleshooting.
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.
Forklift technicians and forklift operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Forklift Technician | Forklift Operator | |
| Average salary | $43,589 | $34,213 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $60,000 | Between $27,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Minneapolis, MN |
| Highest paying state | - | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | - | DeWitt LLP Law Firm |
| Best paying industry | - | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a forklift technician and a forklift operator in terms of educational background:
| Forklift Technician | Forklift Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | High School Diploma, 59% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between forklift technicians' and forklift operators' demographics:
| Forklift Technician | Forklift Operator | |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% | Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 1.7% White, 72.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 1% | 4% |