Metal handler vs material handler/forklift operator

The differences between metal handlers and material handler/forklift operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a material handler/forklift operator has an average salary of $36,453, which is higher than the $36,177 average annual salary of a metal handler.

The top three skills for a metal handler include CNC, load trucks and . The most important skills for a material handler/forklift operator are pallets, safety procedures, and electric pallet jack.

Metal handler vs material handler/forklift operator overview

	Metal Handler	Material Handler/Forklift Operator
Yearly salary	$36,177	$36,453
Hourly rate	$17.39	$17.53
Growth rate	6%	7%
Number of jobs	28,591	168,379
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	High School Diploma, 59%
Average age	40	43
Years of experience	-	4

Metal handler vs material handler/forklift operator salary

Metal handlers and material handler/forklift operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Metal Handler	Material Handler/Forklift Operator
Average salary	$36,177	$36,453
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $43,000	Between $29,000 And $45,000
Highest paying City	-	Lakeville, MN
Highest paying state	-	North Dakota
Best paying company	-	Nestlé
Best paying industry	-	Automotive

Differences between metal handler and material handler/forklift operator education

There are a few differences between a metal handler and a material handler/forklift operator in terms of educational background:

	Metal Handler	Material Handler/Forklift Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	High School Diploma, 59%
Most common major	General Studies	Business
Most common college	-	-

Metal handler vs material handler/forklift operator demographics

Here are the differences between metal handlers' and material handler/forklift operators' demographics:

	Metal Handler	Material Handler/Forklift Operator
Average age	40	43
Gender ratio	Male, 90.2% Female, 9.8%	Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 5.4% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 16.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 2.4% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	5%	4%

Differences between metal handler and material handler/forklift operator duties and responsibilities

Metal handler example responsibilities.

Sheet metal facility that fabricates ductwork for HVAC systems.
Ensure all assign freight packages are sorted and appropriately distribute throughout the hub distribution center within applicable deadlines.
Assist in de-icing procedures during cold weather.

Material handler/forklift operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Train in all aspects of warehousing, shipping, receiving using WMS.
Receive parts from the manufacturers and scan parts into the inventory using warehouse management system (WMS).
Perform specialized production line and quality control duties in a professional production environment specializing in plastic extrusion.
Determine require pallet count to meet the statistical receiving requirements.
Operate tools (hand truck, fork lift, dollies, hand jack), distribute materials to their designate departments.

Metal handler vs material handler/forklift operator skills

Common metal handler skills

CNC, 69%
Load Trucks, 31%

Common material handler/forklift operator skills

Pallets, 19%
Safety Procedures, 10%
Electric Pallet Jack, 10%
Forklift Operation, 7%
RF Scanner, 6%
Assembly Line, 4%

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Metal Handler
Metal Handler vs Material Handler/Forklift Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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