Picker operator vs material handler/forklift operator

The differences between picker operators and material handler/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 material handler/forklift operator. Additionally, a material handler/forklift operator has an average salary of $36,453, 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 material handler/forklift operator are pallets, safety procedures, and electric pallet jack.

Picker operator vs material handler/forklift operator overview

	Picker Operator	Material Handler/Forklift Operator
Yearly salary	$32,899	$36,453
Hourly rate	$15.82	$17.53
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	71,031	168,379
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 59%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Picker operator vs material handler/forklift operator salary

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

	Picker Operator	Material Handler/Forklift Operator
Average salary	$32,899	$36,453
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $38,000	Between $29,000 And $45,000
Highest paying City	Plainfield, IN	Lakeville, MN
Highest paying state	North Dakota	North Dakota
Best paying company	Siemens	Nestlé
Best paying industry	Transportation	Automotive

Differences between picker operator and material handler/forklift operator education

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

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

Picker operator vs material handler/forklift operator demographics

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

	Picker Operator	Material Handler/Forklift 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, 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	4%	4%

Differences between picker operator and material handler/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

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.

Picker operator vs material handler/forklift operator skills

Common picker operator skills

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

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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Picker Operator
Picker Operator vs Material Handler/Forklift Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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