Hostler vs dock worker

The differences between hostlers and dock workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a hostler has an average salary of $39,313, which is higher than the $36,027 average annual salary of a dock worker.

The top three skills for a hostler include DOT, landing gear and dock doors. The most important skills for a dock worker are safety rules, tractor trailer, and LTL.

Hostler vs dock worker overview

	Hostler	Dock Worker
Yearly salary	$39,313	$36,027
Hourly rate	$18.90	$17.32
Growth rate	4%	6%
Number of jobs	1,177	119,104
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 54%
Average age	47	40
Years of experience	-	-

Hostler vs dock worker salary

Hostlers and dock workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Hostler	Dock Worker
Average salary	$39,313	$36,027
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $55,000	Between $29,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	Niagara Falls, NY	Coon Rapids, MN
Highest paying state	Wisconsin	Alaska
Best paying company	Ryder System	Dairy Farmers of America
Best paying industry	Transportation	Manufacturing

Differences between hostler and dock worker education

There are a few differences between a hostler and a dock worker in terms of educational background:

	Hostler	Dock Worker
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 54%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Hostler vs dock worker demographics

Here are the differences between hostlers' and dock workers' demographics:

	Hostler	Dock Worker
Average age	47	40
Gender ratio	Male, 93.1% Female, 6.9%	Male, 92.9% Female, 7.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 1.9% White, 69.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	12%	5%

Differences between hostler and dock worker duties and responsibilities

Hostler example responsibilities.

Direct outbound train crew to locomotive departure tracks and direct inbound locomotives within mechanical facility limits to their final destination tracks.
Operate 4K and 6K forklifts to load and unload FedEx trailers and support trucks; inventory each shipment prior to departure.

Dock worker example responsibilities.

Operate yard truck to manage dock needs, maintain safety and cleanliness of dock as well as yard.
Work with AS400 WMS to coordinate the movement of freight in and out of the terminal.
Use of the AS400 to process outbound shipments, including but not limit to data entry, and BOL imaging.
Print BOL for daily deliveries.
Use RF scanning system to select orders.
Process and palletize all damage, penny, and RTV merchandise.

Hostler vs dock worker skills

Common hostler skills

DOT, 29%
Landing Gear, 23%
Dock Doors, 15%
Yard Truck, 12%
Safety Procedures, 6%
Electrical Lines, 2%

Common dock worker skills

Safety Rules, 12%
Tractor Trailer, 8%
LTL, 8%
Unload Trailers, 6%
Basic Math, 5%
Dock Equipment, 5%

Updated January 8, 2025

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