Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between saw operators and forklift operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a forklift operator has an average salary of $34,213, which is higher than the $32,319 average annual salary of a saw operator.
The top three skills for a saw operator include tape measure, hand tools and basic math. The most important skills for a forklift operator are pallets, basic math, and electric pallet jack.
| Saw Operator | Forklift Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $32,319 | $34,213 |
| Hourly rate | $15.54 | $16.45 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 58,465 | 213,020 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 56% | High School Diploma, 59% |
| Average age | 45 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
Saw operators are responsible for setting up and operating power saws to slot, cut, and trim metallic and non-metallic materials. They are the ones who choose and install blades on machinery using hand-tools and verify dimensions of finished material using measuring devices. They may perform additional tasks such as loading saws and monitoring sawing operations, and replacing damaged or worn saw blades. Saw operators are also responsible for recording data on production reports and assisting staff with the maintenance and repair of saw equipment.
Forklift operators are skilled workers responsible for operating heavy equipment machines called forklifts. They are in charge of operating forklifts, a type of industrial or heavy equipment truck/machine that moves materials from one place to another through prongs protruding from the machine. Forklift operators are responsible for loading and unloading cargo, operating the machine to ensure that the cargo reaches its destination, and complying with safety protocols. They are also in-charge of maintenance work on the machine and reporting any challenges or issues that may be encountered. Forklift operators must be physically fit and alert at all times.
Saw operators and forklift operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Saw Operator | Forklift Operator | |
| Average salary | $32,319 | $34,213 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $38,000 | Between $27,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Springfield, OR | Minneapolis, MN |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Micro Metals Inc. | DeWitt LLP Law Firm |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a saw operator and a forklift operator in terms of educational background:
| Saw Operator | Forklift Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 56% | High School Diploma, 59% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between saw operators' and forklift operators' demographics:
| Saw Operator | Forklift Operator | |
| Average age | 45 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.2% Female, 9.8% | Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 1.1% White, 65.3% 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 | 6% | 4% |