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The differences between forklift technicians and industrial mechanics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a forklift technician, becoming an industrial mechanic takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an industrial mechanic has an average salary of $53,333, which is higher than the $43,589 average annual salary of a forklift technician.
The top three skills for a forklift technician include troubleshoot, preventative maintenance and safety procedures. The most important skills for an industrial mechanic are industrial maintenance, hand tools, and PLC.
| Forklift Technician | Industrial Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $43,589 | $53,333 |
| Hourly rate | $20.96 | $25.64 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 179,388 | 158,560 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 44 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
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.
An industrial mechanic maintains and repairs equipment and any other industrial types of machinery in a factory. Industrial mechanics manage the operation of machinery like production machinery, packaging equipment, and conveying systems. They need to use protective equipment like safety glasses and hardhats as well as follow safety precautions during operations. It is their responsibility to make sure that all industrial machines function well through preventive maintenance service and troubleshooting.
Forklift technicians and industrial mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Forklift Technician | Industrial Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $43,589 | $53,333 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $60,000 | Between $39,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Fremont, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | West Virginia |
| Best paying company | - | California Resources |
| Best paying industry | - | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a forklift technician and an industrial mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Forklift Technician | Industrial Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Industrial Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between forklift technicians' and industrial mechanics' demographics:
| Forklift Technician | Industrial Mechanic | |
| Average age | 44 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% | Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4% |
| 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, 7.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 3.3% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 1% | 2% |