Materials handling equipment operator vs lift truck operator

The differences between materials handling equipment operators and lift 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 lift truck operator. Additionally, a lift truck operator has an average salary of $36,973, which is higher than the $34,554 average annual salary of a materials handling equipment operator.

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

Materials handling equipment operator vs lift truck operator overview

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Lift Truck Operator
Yearly salary	$34,554	$36,973
Hourly rate	$16.61	$17.78
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	72,569	103,337
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 49%	High School Diploma, 53%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Materials handling equipment operator vs lift truck operator salary

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

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Lift Truck Operator
Average salary	$34,554	$36,973
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $43,000	Between $29,000 And $46,000
Highest paying City	-	Springfield, OR
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Nestlé
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between materials handling equipment operator and lift truck operator education

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

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Lift Truck Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 49%	High School Diploma, 53%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Materials handling equipment operator vs lift truck operator demographics

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

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Lift Truck Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 89.7% Female, 10.3%	Male, 89.7% Female, 10.3%
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, 16.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 2.4% White, 57.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between materials handling equipment operator and lift 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.

Lift truck operator example responsibilities.

Certify on stand up/sit down forks, clamps, slip sheets and cherry picker
Used WMS system to adjust inventory, either in, out, or amounts.
Perform trailer inspections, loading and unloading inventory, RFT scanner experience, WMS.
Relocate pallets from receiving dock to desire location within warehouse.
Maintain accurate and timely documentation as is required by organization and OSHA.
Load and unload items from machines and dollies.

Materials handling equipment operator vs lift 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 lift truck operator skills

Pallets, 18%
Safety Procedures, 11%
Load Trailers, 6%
AS400, 5%
Electric Pallet Jack, 5%
Forks, 4%

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Transportation Industry
Materials Handling Equipment Operator
Materials Handling Equipment Operator vs Lift Truck Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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