Materials handling equipment operator vs fork truck operator

The differences between materials handling equipment operators and fork truck 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 fork truck operator. Additionally, a materials handling equipment operator has an average salary of $34,554, which is higher than the $32,272 average annual salary of a fork truck operator.

The top three skills for a materials handling equipment operator include pallets, pallet jack and safety regulations. The most important skills for a fork truck operator are pallets, safety procedures, and load trucks.

Materials handling equipment operator vs fork truck operator overview

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Yearly salary	$34,554	$32,272
Hourly rate	$16.61	$15.52
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	72,569	117,624
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 49%	High School Diploma, 51%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Materials handling equipment operator vs fork truck operator salary

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

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Average salary	$34,554	$32,272
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $43,000	Between $26,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	-	Grand Forks, ND
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Seneca Foods
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between materials handling equipment operator and fork truck operator education

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

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 49%	High School Diploma, 51%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Materials handling equipment operator vs fork truck operator demographics

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

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 89.7% Female, 10.3%	Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9%
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, 12.8% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.7% Asian, 1.9% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between materials handling equipment operator and fork truck 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.

Fork truck operator example responsibilities.

Create and cataloge files for GMP library.
Perform specialized production line and quality control duties in a professional production environment specializing in plastic extrusion.
Perform specialized production line and quality control duties in a professional production environment specializing in plastic extrusion.

Materials handling equipment operator vs fork truck 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 fork truck operator skills

Pallets, 19%
Safety Procedures, 10%
Load Trucks, 7%
Load Trailers, 6%
Pallet Jack, 6%
Assembly Line, 5%

Materials Handling Equipment Operator vs. similar jobs

Materials Handling Equipment Operator related careers

Materials Handling Equipment Operator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Transportation Industry
Materials Handling Equipment Operator
Materials Handling Equipment Operator vs Fork Truck Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse transportation jobs