Materials handling equipment operator vs terminal operator

The differences between materials handling equipment operators and terminal 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 terminal operator. Additionally, a terminal operator has an average salary of $39,948, 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 terminal operator are loaders, cranes, and rail cars.

Materials handling equipment operator vs terminal operator overview

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Terminal Operator
Yearly salary	$34,554	$39,948
Hourly rate	$16.61	$19.21
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	72,569	43,328
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 49%	High School Diploma, 34%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Materials handling equipment operator vs terminal operator salary

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

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Terminal Operator
Average salary	$34,554	$39,948
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $43,000	Between $32,000 And $48,000
Highest paying City	-	Fargo, ND
Highest paying state	-	Hawaii
Best paying company	-	Land O'Lakes
Best paying industry	-	Construction

Differences between materials handling equipment operator and terminal operator education

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

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Terminal Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 49%	High School Diploma, 34%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Materials handling equipment operator vs terminal operator demographics

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

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Terminal Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 89.7% Female, 10.3%	Male, 82.5% Female, 17.5%
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, 15.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 2.9% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between materials handling equipment operator and terminal 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.

Terminal operator example responsibilities.

Manage the efficient use of locomotives and fuel to ensure that freight car cycles are effectively manage while in the terminals.
Operate forklift, loaders, bulldozers, excavators, ship hydraulic cranes.
Pull LTL loads for shipment.
Experience in Lock-Out/Tag-Out (LOTO).
Operate forklifts and loaders for loading aircraft.
Complete and signs declaration of inspection (Doi).

Materials handling equipment operator vs terminal 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 terminal operator skills

Loaders, 9%
Cranes, 9%
Rail Cars, 7%
Customer Service, 6%
TWIC, 5%
General Maintenance, 5%

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Transportation Industry
Materials Handling Equipment Operator
Materials Handling Equipment Operator vs Terminal Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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