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The differences between truck loaders and material handlers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a truck loader has an average salary of $34,749, which is higher than the $33,215 average annual salary of a material handler.
The top three skills for a truck loader include pallets, load trucks and electric pallet jack. The most important skills for a material handler are pallets, basic math, and forklifts.
| Truck Loader | Material Handler | |
| Yearly salary | $34,749 | $33,215 |
| Hourly rate | $16.71 | $15.97 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 100,059 | 174,068 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 60% | High School Diploma, 51% |
| Average age | 41 | 40 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Truck loaders provide the necessary workforce in loading items for delivery and logistics. The truck loader focuses on ensuring all items are loaded safely into transport vehicles and on time. This position requires a license to operate heavy equipment such as forklifts and cargo handling machines. It is the responsibility of the truck loader that all materials are safe before delivery and after. There are instances where the loader accompanies the truck driver to the destination to help unload the items.
Material handlers are responsible for moving products, storing items, and managing supplies to proper shelf categories. A material handler also documents deliveries and ensures that all items for shipment are correct and free of any damage. Material handlers must also be a fast-learner to operate various warehouse equipment that would make the task more efficient and less time-consuming. A material handler must also check all the incoming deliveries to validate all purchases made. Material handlers must be able to analyze sheet orders and prepare the correct merchandise the client needs.
Truck loaders and material handlers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Truck Loader | Material Handler | |
| Average salary | $34,749 | $33,215 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $42,000 | Between $26,000 And $41,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Minneapolis, MN |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Minnesota |
| Best paying company | Kemps | Battelle |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a truck loader and a material handler in terms of educational background:
| Truck Loader | Material Handler | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 60% | High School Diploma, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between truck loaders' and material handlers' demographics:
| Truck Loader | Material Handler | |
| Average age | 41 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% | Male, 77.6% Female, 22.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 4.3% White, 64.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% | Black or African American, 13.9% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 5.6% White, 55.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 5% |