Shovel mechanic vs forklift technician

The differences between shovel mechanics and forklift technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a shovel mechanic and a forklift technician. Additionally, a shovel mechanic has an average salary of $47,081, which is higher than the $43,589 average annual salary of a forklift technician.

The top three skills for a shovel mechanic include shovels, cranes and MSHA. The most important skills for a forklift technician are troubleshoot, preventative maintenance, and safety procedures.

Shovel mechanic vs forklift technician overview

	Shovel Mechanic	Forklift Technician
Yearly salary	$47,081	$43,589
Hourly rate	$22.64	$20.96
Growth rate	8%	8%
Number of jobs	33,785	179,388
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	High School Diploma, 36%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

Shovel mechanic vs forklift technician salary

Shovel mechanics and forklift technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Shovel Mechanic	Forklift Technician
Average salary	$47,081	$43,589
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $79,000	Between $31,000 And $60,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between shovel mechanic and forklift technician education

There are a few differences between a shovel mechanic and a forklift technician in terms of educational background:

	Shovel Mechanic	Forklift Technician
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	High School Diploma, 36%
Most common major	General Studies	Automotive Technology
Most common college	-	-

Shovel mechanic vs forklift technician demographics

Here are the differences between shovel mechanics' and forklift technicians' demographics:

	Shovel Mechanic	Forklift Technician
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 100.0% Female, 0.0%	Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 1.6% White, 78.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 1.7% White, 72.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	1%	1%

Differences between shovel mechanic and forklift technician duties and responsibilities

Shovel mechanic example responsibilities.

Begin teardown to determine problems with operation or places showing abnormal wear and tear.
Document repairs, modifications and inspections in accordance with FAA requirements on both paper and in an automate maintenance information database.
Plan and schedule preventive maintenance for mine equipment.
Perform preventive daily maintenance following a schedule maintenance schedule.

Forklift technician example responsibilities.

Organize and preform OSHA inspections for overhead hoists.
Pick outbound orders using AS400 RF system using FIFO.
Load and unload trucks by hand with Forklift/double forks.
Employ wide variety of hand and power tools including hoists, drills, precision measuring instruments and electrical testing devices.
Perform on-site field maintenance, quarterly calibrations, and major repairs to heavy machinery such as cranes, man-lifts and forklifts.
Position lifting device under, over, or around load pallets and secure materials or products for transport to designate area.

Shovel mechanic vs forklift technician skills

Common shovel mechanic skills

Shovels, 33%
Cranes, 26%
MSHA, 16%
Lube, 15%
Electrical Systems, 5%
DML, 4%

Common forklift technician skills

Troubleshoot, 70%
Preventative Maintenance, 3%
Safety Procedures, 3%
Hand Tools, 3%
General Repairs, 2%
OSHA, 2%

Shovel Mechanic vs. similar jobs

Shovel Mechanic related careers

Shovel Mechanic related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Installation, Maintenance and Repair Industry
Shovel Mechanic
Shovel Mechanic vs Forklift Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse installation, maintenance and repair jobs