Materials handling equipment operator vs equipment operator

The differences between materials handling equipment operators and equipment 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 an equipment operator. Additionally, a materials handling equipment operator has an average salary of $34,554, which is higher than the $31,739 average annual salary of an equipment operator.

The top three skills for a materials handling equipment operator include pallets, pallet jack and safety regulations. The most important skills for an equipment operator are CDL, loaders, and asphalt.

Materials handling equipment operator vs equipment operator overview

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Equipment Operator
Yearly salary	$34,554	$31,739
Hourly rate	$16.61	$15.26
Growth rate	7%	5%
Number of jobs	72,569	62,473
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 49%	High School Diploma, 46%
Average age	43	45
Years of experience	4	4

Materials handling equipment operator vs equipment operator salary

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

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Equipment Operator
Average salary	$34,554	$31,739
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $43,000	Between $24,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	-	Indianapolis, IN
Highest paying state	-	Connecticut
Best paying company	-	Nelsen Partners
Best paying industry	-	Energy

Differences between materials handling equipment operator and equipment operator education

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

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Equipment Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 49%	High School Diploma, 46%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Materials handling equipment operator vs equipment operator demographics

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

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Equipment Operator
Average age	43	45
Gender ratio	Male, 89.7% Female, 10.3%	Male, 93.0% Female, 7.0%
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, 7.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 0.9% White, 66.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9%
LGBT Percentage	4%	2%

Differences between materials handling equipment operator and equipment 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.

Equipment operator example responsibilities.

Manage and cross-train subordinates in several job-relate tasks while promoting leadership.
Operate track loader, dozer, excavator, track skid loader, rubber tire loader, and haul truck as assigned.
Operate heavy equipment including loaders and rollers.
Operate bulldozers, compactors, and scrapers for residential land development
Work include backhoe operation, equipment operation, landscaping and snow removal
Operate backhoes and trench diggers.

Materials handling equipment operator vs equipment 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 equipment operator skills

CDL, 10%
Loaders, 7%
Asphalt, 5%
Backhoe, 5%
Hand Tools, 5%
Safety Rules, 4%

Materials Handling Equipment Operator vs. similar jobs

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Materials Handling Equipment Operator
Materials Handling Equipment Operator vs Equipment Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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