Materials handling equipment operator vs cherry picker operator

The differences between materials handling equipment operators and cherry picker 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 materials handling equipment operator and a cherry picker operator. Additionally, a materials handling equipment operator has an average salary of $34,554, which is higher than the $33,956 average annual salary of a cherry picker operator.

The top three skills for a materials handling equipment operator include pallets, pallet jack and safety regulations. The most important skills for a cherry picker operator are cherry-picker, pallets, and rf scanner.

Materials handling equipment operator vs cherry picker operator overview

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Cherry Picker Operator
Yearly salary	$34,554	$33,956
Hourly rate	$16.61	$16.32
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	72,569	105,023
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 49%	High School Diploma, 62%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Materials handling equipment operator vs cherry picker operator salary

Materials handling equipment operators and cherry picker operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Cherry Picker Operator
Average salary	$34,554	$33,956
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $43,000	Between $27,000 And $41,000
Highest paying City	-	Eagan, MN
Highest paying state	-	Hawaii
Best paying company	-	United Natural Foods
Best paying industry	-	Automotive

Differences between materials handling equipment operator and cherry picker operator education

There are a few differences between a materials handling equipment operator and a cherry picker operator in terms of educational background:

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Cherry Picker Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 49%	High School Diploma, 62%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Materials handling equipment operator vs cherry picker operator demographics

Here are the differences between materials handling equipment operators' and cherry picker operators' demographics:

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Cherry Picker Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 89.7% Female, 10.3%	Male, 76.5% Female, 23.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 15.5% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 59.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 16.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.6% Asian, 2.4% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between materials handling equipment operator and cherry picker operator duties and responsibilities

Materials handling equipment operator example responsibilities.

Operate stand-up forklift, reach truck and walkie.
Unload railcars using crane, forklift and overhead hoists.
Certify on walkie rider, stand-up forklift/ high reach forklift, and turret truck.
Perform daily pre and post maintenance inspection checks on designate material handling equipment (MHE).
Load and secure items onto pallets and ensure that the materials are in the proper place and prepare them for shipment.
Maintain accurate and timely documentation as is required by organization and OSHA.

Cherry picker operator example responsibilities.

Order selector, replenish, loader
Pick parts using scan handgunHelp QC pack parts into box
Order selector fork lift operator shipping and receiving whole sale foods
Collect and deliver pallets of inventory to other stations.
Maintain accurate and timely documentation as is required by organization and OSHA.
Pick inventory on floor level using a walkie.

Materials handling equipment operator vs cherry picker operator skills

Common materials handling equipment operator skills

Pallets, 16%
Pallet Jack, 12%
Safety Regulations, 9%
End Loaders, 8%
Basic Math, 7%
Safety Procedures, 6%

Common cherry picker operator skills

Cherry-Picker, 36%
Pallets, 11%
RF Scanner, 10%
Electric Pallet Jack, 6%
Cherry Pickers, 6%
Work Ethic, 5%

Materials Handling Equipment Operator vs. similar jobs

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Transportation Industry
Materials Handling Equipment Operator
Materials Handling Equipment Operator vs Cherry Picker Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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