Hi lift operator vs forklift operator

The differences between hi lift operators 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 hi lift operator and a forklift operator. Additionally, a hi lift operator has an average salary of $35,931, which is higher than the $34,213 average annual salary of a forklift operator.

The top three skills for a hi lift operator include pallets, operate hi-lo and SIT. The most important skills for a forklift operator are pallets, basic math, and electric pallet jack.

Hi lift operator vs forklift operator overview

	Hi Lift Operator	Forklift Operator
Yearly salary	$35,931	$34,213
Hourly rate	$17.27	$16.45
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	42,577	213,020
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 58%	High School Diploma, 59%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Hi lift operator vs forklift operator salary

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

	Hi Lift Operator	Forklift Operator
Average salary	$35,931	$34,213
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $43,000	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

Differences between hi lift operator and forklift operator education

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

	Hi Lift Operator	Forklift Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 58%	High School Diploma, 59%
Most common major	General Studies	Business
Most common college	-	-

Hi lift operator vs forklift operator demographics

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

	Hi Lift Operator	Forklift Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 92.4% Female, 7.6%	Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0%
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, 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	4%	4%

Differences between hi lift operator and forklift 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.

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.

Hi lift operator vs forklift 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 forklift operator skills

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

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Transportation Industry
Hi Lift Operator
Hi Lift Operator vs Forklift Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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