Picker operator vs reach truck operator

The differences between picker operators and reach 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 reach truck operator. Additionally, a reach truck operator has an average salary of $34,625, 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 reach truck operator are pallets, rf scanner, and basic math.

Picker operator vs reach truck operator overview

	Picker Operator	Reach Truck Operator
Yearly salary	$32,899	$34,625
Hourly rate	$15.82	$16.65
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	71,031	137,300
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 57%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Picker operator vs reach truck operator salary

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

	Picker Operator	Reach Truck Operator
Average salary	$32,899	$34,625
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $38,000	Between $28,000 And $42,000
Highest paying City	Plainfield, IN	Philadelphia, PA
Highest paying state	North Dakota	Alaska
Best paying company	Siemens	United Natural Foods
Best paying industry	Transportation	Manufacturing

Differences between picker operator and reach truck operator education

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

	Picker Operator	Reach Truck Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 57%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Picker operator vs reach truck operator demographics

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

	Picker Operator	Reach Truck Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 73.6% Female, 26.4%	Male, 90.9% Female, 9.1%
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, 16.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 2.8% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between picker operator and reach 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

Reach truck operator example responsibilities.

Receive product in using WMS (warehouse management system )
Put away and picking of parts using RF scanner.
Train other employees to operate CNC beam line python.
Reach truck operator/picking order from WMS system and put away.
License to use a man-up, forklift, and scissor lift.
Clean and maintain the warehouse in compliance with OSHA safety standards ..

Picker operator vs reach truck operator skills

Common picker operator skills

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

Common reach truck operator skills

Pallets, 19%
RF Scanner, 7%
Basic Math, 7%
SIT, 5%
Electric Pallet Jack, 5%
Warehouse Environment, 4%

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Transportation Industry
Picker Operator
Picker Operator vs Reach Truck Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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