Production forklift operator vs operator

The differences between production forklift operators and 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 production forklift operator and an operator. Additionally, an operator has an average salary of $37,928, which is higher than the $34,322 average annual salary of a production forklift operator.

The top three skills for a production forklift operator include pallets, line production and safety rules. The most important skills for an operator are safety procedures, CDL, and emergency calls.

Production forklift operator vs operator overview

	Production Forklift Operator	Operator
Yearly salary	$34,322	$37,928
Hourly rate	$16.50	$18.23
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	160,992	159,077
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 58%	High School Diploma, 40%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Production forklift operator vs operator salary

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

	Production Forklift Operator	Operator
Average salary	$34,322	$37,928
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $43,000	Between $27,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	Fargo, ND	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	Alaska	North Dakota
Best paying company	Darigold	Microsoft
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Technology

Differences between production forklift operator and operator education

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

	Production Forklift Operator	Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 58%	High School Diploma, 40%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Production forklift operator vs operator demographics

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

	Production Forklift Operator	Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 88.5% Female, 11.5%	Male, 73.0% Female, 27.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 15.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 2.8% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 16.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 2.5% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between production forklift operator and operator duties and responsibilities

Production forklift operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Move and stock products using a stand up and sit down forklift.
Operate various forklifts from old Clark lifts to any new stand up and sit down lifts.
Load tractor trailer trucks with forklift and keep the production line stock with pallets of assort chicken parts to be package.
Execute production activities as directed by supervisor, including performing GMP cell culture of biologic products using closed-system device.
Deliver finished product to production area and stack items on pallet for pickup

Operator example responsibilities.

Assist in developing the company s short and long term training plans and managing yearly ammunition allocation.
Assist and manage the extrusion process of polyester raw material in pellet or chip form to produce finish rolls of plastic.
Manage day-to-day transportation and logistics services for multinational account base.
Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
Job require basic math skills: fractions and decimals.
Ensure safety of all equipment during production in compliance with strict OSHA and safety regulations.

Production forklift operator vs operator skills

Common production forklift operator skills

Pallets, 24%
Line Production, 12%
Safety Rules, 12%
Pallet Jack, 8%
RF Scanner, 6%
Quality Standards, 5%

Common operator skills

Safety Procedures, 15%
CDL, 6%
Emergency Calls, 6%
Preventative Maintenance, 4%
Quality Checks, 4%
Dozer, 4%

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Transportation Industry
Production Forklift Operator
Production Forklift Operator vs Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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