Picker operator vs lift operator

The differences between picker operators and lift 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 lift operator. Additionally, a picker operator has an average salary of $32,899, which is higher than the $32,309 average annual salary of a lift operator.

The top three skills for a picker operator include pallet jack, pallets and warehouse environment. The most important skills for a lift operator are pallets, fork-lift, and electric pallet jack.

Picker operator vs lift operator overview

	Picker Operator	Lift Operator
Yearly salary	$32,899	$32,309
Hourly rate	$15.82	$15.53
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	71,031	72,445
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 53%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Picker operator vs lift operator salary

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

	Picker Operator	Lift Operator
Average salary	$32,899	$32,309
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $38,000	Between $26,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	Plainfield, IN	Fremont, CA
Highest paying state	North Dakota	Alaska
Best paying company	Siemens	BD
Best paying industry	Transportation	Automotive

Differences between picker operator and lift operator education

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

	Picker Operator	Lift Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 53%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Picker operator vs lift operator demographics

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

	Picker Operator	Lift Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 73.6% Female, 26.4%	Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9%
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, 15.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 2.6% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between picker operator and lift 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

Lift operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Use AS400 to take yarn out of inventory.
Load and unload ship cargo using wenches or other hoisting devices.
Check forklift for problems such as fluid levels, tires and forks.
Load and unload trucks with as sit down with slip sheet and double forks attachment practicing a safe environment.
Record inventory and reroute misplaced pallets at rack locations to the correct location

Picker operator vs lift operator skills

Common picker operator skills

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

Common lift operator skills

Pallets, 17%
Fork-Lift, 14%
Electric Pallet Jack, 10%
Safety Rules, 9%
Power Saws, 4%
Load Trucks, 4%

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Transportation Industry
Picker Operator
Picker Operator vs Lift Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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