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The differences between material handler/forklift operators and freight handlers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a material handler/forklift operator has an average salary of $36,453, which is higher than the $35,944 average annual salary of a freight handler.
The top three skills for a material handler/forklift operator include pallets, safety procedures and electric pallet jack. The most important skills for a freight handler are basic math, pallets, and math.
| Material Handler/Forklift Operator | Freight Handler | |
| Yearly salary | $36,453 | $35,944 |
| Hourly rate | $17.53 | $17.28 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 168,379 | 67,422 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 59% | High School Diploma, 54% |
| Average age | 43 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
A material handler and forklift operator is responsible for transporting and storing various kinds of goods, even including fragile or hazardous shipments. The duties and location will vary depending on the line of work or industry involved. However, most of the tasks will require efficiency in operating machinery, communication skills, and great attention to detail. Furthermore, a material handler and forklift operator must monitor products and keep an accurate record of overall activities, transport materials within allotted time and schedule, and maintain communication and coordination with co-workers and supervisors.
A freight handler is responsible for monitoring the distribution and delivery of the freight, unloading and storing materials, and verifying the accurate information of the freight records. Freight handlers inspect the condition and quality of the goods and materials before loading into the distribution trucks for shipment. They also operate various warehouse tools and equipment to transport merchandise from the vehicle to different parts of the facility. A freight handler must be highly organized, especially in checking the correct tagging of items and conducting safety checks.
Material handler/forklift operators and freight handlers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Material Handler/Forklift Operator | Freight Handler | |
| Average salary | $36,453 | $35,944 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $45,000 | Between $28,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | Lakeville, MN | Billerica, MA |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Nestlé | R+L Carriers |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a material handler/forklift operator and a freight handler in terms of educational background:
| Material Handler/Forklift Operator | Freight Handler | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 59% | High School Diploma, 54% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between material handler/forklift operators' and freight handlers' demographics:
| Material Handler/Forklift Operator | Freight Handler | |
| Average age | 43 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% | Male, 88.2% Female, 11.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 16.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 2.4% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 13.6% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.8% Asian, 5.2% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |