Picker operator vs fork truck operator

The differences between picker 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 picker operator and a fork truck operator. Additionally, a picker operator has an average salary of $32,899, which is higher than the $32,272 average annual salary of a fork truck operator.

The top three skills for a picker operator include pallet jack, pallets and warehouse environment. The most important skills for a fork truck operator are pallets, safety procedures, and load trucks.

Picker operator vs fork truck operator overview

	Picker Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Yearly salary	$32,899	$32,272
Hourly rate	$15.82	$15.52
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	71,031	117,624
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 51%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Picker operator vs fork truck operator salary

Picker operators and fork truck operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Picker Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Average salary	$32,899	$32,272
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $38,000	Between $26,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	Plainfield, IN	Grand Forks, ND
Highest paying state	North Dakota	Alaska
Best paying company	Siemens	Seneca Foods
Best paying industry	Transportation	Finance

Differences between picker operator and fork truck operator education

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

	Picker Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 51%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Picker operator vs fork truck operator demographics

Here are the differences between picker operators' and fork truck operators' demographics:

	Picker Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 73.6% Female, 26.4%	Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 14.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 2.1% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	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 picker operator and fork truck operator duties and responsibilities

Picker operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Work at a CNC machine station and provide accurate input to the machines.
Perform specialized production line and quality control duties in a professional production environment specializing in plastic extrusion.
Certify cherry picker operator / pull orders and putaway

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.

Picker operator vs fork truck operator skills

Common picker operator skills

Pallet Jack, 35%
Pallets, 15%
Warehouse Environment, 13%
Customer Orders, 12%
OSHA, 5%
Safety Standards, 4%

Common fork truck operator skills

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

Picker Operator vs. similar jobs

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Transportation Industry
Picker Operator
Picker Operator vs Fork Truck Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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