Pick up driver vs loader operator

The differences between pick up drivers and loader 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 pick up driver and a loader operator. Additionally, a pick up driver has an average salary of $49,813, which is higher than the $36,987 average annual salary of a loader operator.

The top three skills for a pick up driver include pallet jack, DOT and rf scanner. The most important skills for a loader operator are front end loader, asphalt, and customer service.

Pick up driver vs loader operator overview

	Pick Up Driver	Loader Operator
Yearly salary	$49,813	$36,987
Hourly rate	$23.95	$17.78
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	44,609	61,980
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 52%	High School Diploma, 57%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Pick up driver vs loader operator salary

Pick up drivers and loader operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Pick Up Driver	Loader Operator
Average salary	$49,813	$36,987
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $68,000	Between $29,000 And $46,000
Highest paying City	Denver, CO	Bismarck, ND
Highest paying state	North Dakota	Alaska
Best paying company	Wayfair	Dairy Farmers of America
Best paying industry	Transportation	Construction

Differences between pick up driver and loader operator education

There are a few differences between a pick up driver and a loader operator in terms of educational background:

	Pick Up Driver	Loader Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 52%	High School Diploma, 57%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Pick up driver vs loader operator demographics

Here are the differences between pick up drivers' and loader operators' demographics:

	Pick Up Driver	Loader Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 84.6% Female, 15.4%	Male, 94.1% Female, 5.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 14.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 2.6% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 2.6% White, 59.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between pick up driver and loader operator duties and responsibilities

Pick up driver example responsibilities.

Conduct deliveries of medical equipment throughout Florida, collect payments, and ensure proper cleanliness of medical equipment
Employ wide variety of hand and power tools including hoists, drills, precision measuring instruments and electronic testing devices.

Loader operator example responsibilities.

Inventory control; FIFO procedures, HAZMAT certify.
Excavate midstream on load lines for repair backfill and finish
Dismantle and reassemble heavy equipment using hoists and hand tools.
Excavate and prepare trenches for plumbing and utilities to residential homes.
Operate excavator doing residential demolition and dig footings for new structures.
Utilize appropriate level of PPE for the chemical being handle or transfer.

Pick up driver vs loader operator skills

Common pick up driver skills

Pallet Jack, 27%
DOT, 19%
RF Scanner, 12%
Hand Trucks, 9%
Customer Orders, 8%
Computer System, 6%

Common loader operator skills

Front End Loader, 11%
Asphalt, 9%
Customer Service, 8%
Loaders, 7%
Hand Tools, 5%
Preventative Maintenance, 4%

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Transportation Industry
Pick Up Driver
Pick Up Driver vs Loader Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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