Hi lift operator vs fork truck operator

The differences between hi lift 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 hi lift operator and a fork truck operator. Additionally, a hi lift operator has an average salary of $35,931, which is higher than the $32,272 average annual salary of a fork truck operator.

The top three skills for a hi lift operator include pallets, operate hi-lo and SIT. The most important skills for a fork truck operator are pallets, safety procedures, and load trucks.

Hi lift operator vs fork truck operator overview

	Hi Lift Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Yearly salary	$35,931	$32,272
Hourly rate	$17.27	$15.52
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	42,577	117,624
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 58%	High School Diploma, 51%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Hi lift operator vs fork truck operator salary

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

	Hi Lift Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Average salary	$35,931	$32,272
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $43,000	Between $26,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	-	Grand Forks, ND
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Seneca Foods
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between hi lift operator and fork truck operator education

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

	Hi Lift Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 58%	High School Diploma, 51%
Most common major	General Studies	Business
Most common college	-	-

Hi lift operator vs fork truck operator demographics

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

	Hi Lift Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 92.4% Female, 7.6%	Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 14.1% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 2.1% White, 63.5% 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 hi lift operator and fork truck operator duties and responsibilities

Hi lift operator example responsibilities.

Operate hi-low to transport products from building to dock areas.
Load or unload materials onto or off pallets, skids, or lifting devices.
Drop reserved pallets into empty selection pallets.
Maintain accurate and timely documentation as is required by organization and OSHA.
Move inventory in support of logistics management.

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.

Hi lift operator vs fork truck operator skills

Common hi lift operator skills

Pallets, 29%
Operate Hi-Lo, 13%
SIT, 8%
Safety Regulations, 7%
Select Cases, 4%
Warehouse Management System, 4%

Common fork truck operator skills

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

Hi Lift Operator vs. similar jobs

Hi Lift Operator related careers

Hi Lift Operator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Transportation Industry
Hi Lift Operator
Hi Lift Operator vs Fork Truck Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse transportation jobs