Lead forklift operator vs lift operator

The differences between lead forklift operators and lift 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 lead forklift operator and a lift operator. Additionally, a lead forklift operator has an average salary of $42,633, which is higher than the $32,309 average annual salary of a lift operator.

The top three skills for a lead forklift operator include pallets, safety committee and electric pallet jack. The most important skills for a lift operator are pallets, fork-lift, and electric pallet jack.

Lead forklift operator vs lift operator overview

	Lead Forklift Operator	Lift Operator
Yearly salary	$42,633	$32,309
Hourly rate	$20.50	$15.53
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	51,186	72,445
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 57%	High School Diploma, 53%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Lead forklift operator vs lift operator salary

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

	Lead Forklift Operator	Lift Operator
Average salary	$42,633	$32,309
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $50,000	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 lead forklift operator and lift operator education

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

	Lead Forklift Operator	Lift Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 57%	High School Diploma, 53%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Lead forklift operator vs lift operator demographics

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

	Lead Forklift Operator	Lift Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 90.9% Female, 9.1%	Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 16.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 2.7% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	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 lead forklift operator and lift operator duties and responsibilities

Lead forklift operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Used WMS and bar code scanning systems to insure order and inventory accuracy for shipping, receiving and warehousing.
Locate and relocate and pallets throughout warehouse facility.
Perform specialized production line and quality control duties in a professional production environment specializing in plastic extrusion.
Schedule LTL'S for pick ups of loads for shipping.
Load and unload LTL and TLD trailers in the most optimal way without damaging the freight.

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

Lead forklift operator vs lift operator skills

Common lead forklift operator skills

Pallets, 16%
Safety Committee, 9%
Electric Pallet Jack, 6%
Forklift Operators, 5%
Inventory Control, 5%
RF Scanner, 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
Lead Forklift Operator
Lead Forklift Operator vs Lift Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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