Hoist operator vs lift operator

The differences between hoist operators and lift operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a hoist operator, becoming a lift operator takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a hoist operator has an average salary of $33,428, which is higher than the $32,309 average annual salary of a lift operator.

The top three skills for a hoist operator include pallets, unload materials and safety checks. The most important skills for a lift operator are pallets, fork-lift, and electric pallet jack.

Hoist operator vs lift operator overview

	Hoist Operator	Lift Operator
Yearly salary	$33,428	$32,309
Hourly rate	$16.07	$15.53
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	49,107	72,445
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 58%	High School Diploma, 53%
Average age	41	43
Years of experience	2	4

Hoist operator vs lift operator salary

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

	Hoist Operator	Lift Operator
Average salary	$33,428	$32,309
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $39,000	Between $26,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	-	Fremont, CA
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	BD
Best paying industry	-	Automotive

Differences between hoist operator and lift operator education

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

	Hoist Operator	Lift Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 58%	High School Diploma, 53%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Hoist operator vs lift operator demographics

Here are the differences between hoist operators' and lift operators' demographics:

	Hoist Operator	Lift Operator
Average age	41	43
Gender ratio	Male, 83.2% Female, 16.8%	Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 0.8% White, 73.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 15.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 2.6% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between hoist operator and lift operator duties and responsibilities

Hoist operator example responsibilities.

Operate heavy machinery such as bobcat equipment and also operate and pave asphalt perform demolition work.
Move inventory in support of logistics management.

Lift operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Use AS400 to take yarn out of inventory.
Load and unload ship cargo using wenches or other hoisting devices.
Check forklift for problems such as fluid levels, tires and forks.
Load and unload trucks with as sit down with slip sheet and double forks attachment practicing a safe environment.
Record inventory and reroute misplaced pallets at rack locations to the correct location

Hoist operator vs lift operator skills

Common hoist operator skills

Pallets, 28%
Unload Materials, 21%
Safety Checks, 21%
Inventory Control, 9%
Clamp Truck, 4%
Load Trucks, 4%

Common lift operator skills

Pallets, 17%
Fork-Lift, 14%
Electric Pallet Jack, 10%
Safety Rules, 9%
Power Saws, 4%
Load Trucks, 4%

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Transportation Industry
Hoist Operator
Hoist Operator vs Lift Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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