High lift operator vs terminal operator

The differences between high lift operators and terminal 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 terminal operator. Additionally, a terminal operator has an average salary of $39,948, which is higher than the $34,481 average annual salary of a high lift operator.

The top three skills for a high lift operator include pallets, OSHA and load trucks. The most important skills for a terminal operator are loaders, cranes, and rail cars.

High lift operator vs terminal operator overview

	High Lift Operator	Terminal Operator
Yearly salary	$34,481	$39,948
Hourly rate	$16.58	$19.21
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	44,928	43,328
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 53%	High School Diploma, 34%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

High lift operator vs terminal operator salary

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

	High Lift Operator	Terminal Operator
Average salary	$34,481	$39,948
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $40,000	Between $32,000 And $48,000
Highest paying City	Cleveland, OH	Fargo, ND
Highest paying state	North Dakota	Hawaii
Best paying company	United Natural Foods	Land O'Lakes
Best paying industry	Construction	Construction

Differences between high lift operator and terminal operator education

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

	High Lift Operator	Terminal Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 53%	High School Diploma, 34%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

High lift operator vs terminal operator demographics

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

	High Lift Operator	Terminal Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7%	Male, 82.5% Female, 17.5%
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, 15.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 2.9% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between high lift operator and terminal 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.

Terminal operator example responsibilities.

Manage the efficient use of locomotives and fuel to ensure that freight car cycles are effectively manage while in the terminals.
Operate forklift, loaders, bulldozers, excavators, ship hydraulic cranes.
Pull LTL loads for shipment.
Experience in Lock-Out/Tag-Out (LOTO).
Operate forklifts and loaders for loading aircraft.
Complete and signs declaration of inspection (Doi).

High lift operator vs terminal operator skills

Common high lift operator skills

Pallets, 26%
OSHA, 16%
Load Trucks, 15%
Pallet Jack, 15%
Safety Standards, 6%
Store Merchandise, 4%

Common terminal operator skills

Loaders, 9%
Cranes, 9%
Rail Cars, 7%
Customer Service, 6%
TWIC, 5%
General Maintenance, 5%

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Transportation Industry
High Lift Operator
High Lift Operator vs Terminal Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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