High lift operator vs forklift operator

The differences between high 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 high lift operator and a forklift operator. Additionally, a high lift operator has an average salary of $34,481, which is higher than the $34,213 average annual salary of a forklift operator.

The top three skills for a high lift operator include pallets, OSHA and load trucks. The most important skills for a forklift operator are pallets, basic math, and electric pallet jack.

High lift operator vs forklift operator overview

	High Lift Operator	Forklift Operator
Yearly salary	$34,481	$34,213
Hourly rate	$16.58	$16.45
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	44,928	213,020
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 53%	High School Diploma, 59%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

High lift operator vs forklift operator salary

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

	High Lift Operator	Forklift Operator
Average salary	$34,481	$34,213
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $40,000	Between $27,000 And $42,000
Highest paying City	Cleveland, OH	Minneapolis, MN
Highest paying state	North Dakota	North Dakota
Best paying company	United Natural Foods	DeWitt LLP Law Firm
Best paying industry	Construction	Automotive

Differences between high lift operator and forklift operator education

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

	High Lift Operator	Forklift Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 53%	High School Diploma, 59%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

High lift operator vs forklift operator demographics

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

	High Lift Operator	Forklift Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7%	Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.9% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 2.3% White, 63.8% 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 high lift operator and forklift operator duties and responsibilities

High lift operator example responsibilities.

Inventory control and making sure wrapped fill pallets are accurately account and labele before exiting the building.
Maintain proper housekeeping and guidelines set forth by OSHA and management.
Operate fork-lift to transport finish product to shipping warehouse for distribution.
Maintain safe and clean work environment by keeping shelves, pallet area, and workstations.
Experience with setting up LTL, FTL, and FedEx/UPS shipments via phone or computer.

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.

High lift operator vs forklift operator skills

Common high lift operator skills

Pallets, 26%
OSHA, 16%
Load Trucks, 15%
Pallet Jack, 15%
Safety Standards, 6%
Store Merchandise, 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
High Lift Operator
High Lift Operator vs Forklift Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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