Stacker operator vs lift operator

The differences between stacker operators and lift 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 stacker operator and a lift operator. Additionally, a stacker operator has an average salary of $33,567, which is higher than the $32,309 average annual salary of a lift operator.

The top three skills for a stacker operator include safety rules, quality checks and math. The most important skills for a lift operator are pallets, fork-lift, and electric pallet jack.

Stacker operator vs lift operator overview

	Stacker Operator	Lift Operator
Yearly salary	$33,567	$32,309
Hourly rate	$16.14	$15.53
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	58,796	72,445
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 59%	High School Diploma, 53%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Stacker operator vs lift operator salary

Stacker operators and lift operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Stacker Operator	Lift Operator
Average salary	$33,567	$32,309
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $41,000	Between $26,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	Springfield, OR	Fremont, CA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Alaska
Best paying company	North American Stainless	BD
Best paying industry	Construction	Automotive

Differences between stacker operator and lift operator education

There are a few differences between a stacker operator and a lift operator in terms of educational background:

	Stacker Operator	Lift Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 59%	High School Diploma, 53%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Stacker operator vs lift operator demographics

Here are the differences between stacker operators' and lift operators' demographics:

	Stacker Operator	Lift Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 87.3% Female, 12.7%	Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 15.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 3.0% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 15.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 2.6% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between stacker operator and lift operator duties and responsibilities

Stacker operator example responsibilities.

Manage proper removal and allocation for full yarn spindles.
Set and run industrial banding equipment.
Mow lawn either by using a riding lawnmower.
Ensure board width and edge calipers are within quality specifications.
Thread or feed cloth through or around machine rollers and dryers.
Edge cutting of various lawns-Operating different landscaping tools, (blowers, lawn mowers, ect )

Lift operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Use AS400 to take yarn out of inventory.
Load and unload ship cargo using wenches or other hoisting devices.
Check forklift for problems such as fluid levels, tires and forks.
Load and unload trucks with as sit down with slip sheet and double forks attachment practicing a safe environment.
Record inventory and reroute misplaced pallets at rack locations to the correct location

Stacker operator vs lift operator skills

Common stacker operator skills

Safety Rules, 22%
Quality Checks, 16%
Math, 16%
Load Tags, 9%
Assembly Line, 7%
Tape Measure, 6%

Common lift operator skills

Pallets, 17%
Fork-Lift, 14%
Electric Pallet Jack, 10%
Safety Rules, 9%
Power Saws, 4%
Load Trucks, 4%

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Transportation Industry
Stacker Operator
Stacker Operator vs Lift Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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