Picker operator vs forklift operator

The differences between picker operators and forklift 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 forklift operator. Additionally, a forklift operator has an average salary of $34,213, which is higher than the $32,899 average annual salary of a picker operator.

The top three skills for a picker operator include pallet jack, pallets and warehouse environment. The most important skills for a forklift operator are pallets, basic math, and electric pallet jack.

Picker operator vs forklift operator overview

	Picker Operator	Forklift Operator
Yearly salary	$32,899	$34,213
Hourly rate	$15.82	$16.45
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	71,031	213,020
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 59%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Picker operator vs forklift operator salary

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

	Picker Operator	Forklift Operator
Average salary	$32,899	$34,213
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $38,000	Between $27,000 And $42,000
Highest paying City	Plainfield, IN	Minneapolis, MN
Highest paying state	North Dakota	North Dakota
Best paying company	Siemens	DeWitt LLP Law Firm
Best paying industry	Transportation	Automotive

Differences between picker operator and forklift operator education

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

	Picker Operator	Forklift Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 59%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Picker operator vs forklift operator demographics

Here are the differences between picker operators' and forklift operators' demographics:

	Picker Operator	Forklift Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 73.6% Female, 26.4%	Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0%
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, 16.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 2.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between picker operator and forklift 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

Forklift operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Position forks under, over, or around load pallets, boxes, products, and transports load to designate area.
Transport raw materials to storage or point of production base on FIFO.
Remove press parts from line and place into WIP locations by FIFO.
Perform safety checks on machines; and troubleshoot problems during machine operation.
Start working as an order selector picking orders and wrapping for shipment.

Picker operator vs forklift operator skills

Common picker operator skills

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

Common forklift operator skills

Pallets, 18%
Basic Math, 6%
Electric Pallet Jack, 5%
OSHA, 5%
Safety Procedures, 5%
Load Trucks, 4%

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Transportation Industry
Picker Operator
Picker Operator vs Forklift Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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