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Warehouse loader vs warehouse associate

The differences between warehouse loaders and warehouse associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a warehouse loader has an average salary of $33,496, which is higher than the $32,863 average annual salary of a warehouse associate.

The top three skills for a warehouse loader include pallets, loaders and electric pallet jack. The most important skills for a warehouse associate are pallets, work ethic, and customer service.

Warehouse loader vs warehouse associate overview

Warehouse LoaderWarehouse Associate
Yearly salary$33,496$32,863
Hourly rate$16.10$15.80
Growth rate6%1%
Number of jobs103,232215,910
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 59%High School Diploma, 50%
Average age4038
Years of experience--

What does a warehouse loader do?

This individual works as part of a team to ensure all the loading processes are carried out efficiently. Their responsibility is to maintain the inventory of the warehouse or shipping operation they work with. They are primarily expected to load and unload trucks and to operate machinery such as forklifts or shrink-wrap machines. Furthermore, they may have to keep records of items loaded and unloaded in the warehouse and process items. In some cases, they are also responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of the warehouse.

What does a warehouse associate do?

Warehouse associates are employees who take on any task needed at the company warehouse. They receive incoming deliveries, store the items in their proper places, scan the items to log them into the company system, manage stocks and inventory, conduct product inspection to check for damages or defects, and maintain the overall cleanliness of the warehouse. Warehouse associates are also responsible for receiving purchase orders, assembling and packing products related to orders, checking the accuracy of the products relative to the order, and ensuring proper shipment of the products.

Warehouse loader vs warehouse associate salary

Warehouse loaders and warehouse associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

Warehouse LoaderWarehouse Associate
Average salary$33,496$32,863
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $40,000Between $26,000 And $40,000
Highest paying CitySaint Cloud, MNPortland, OR
Highest paying stateHawaiiNorth Dakota
Best paying companyDeWitt LLP Law FirmUline
Best paying industryEducationManufacturing

Differences between warehouse loader and warehouse associate education

There are a few differences between a warehouse loader and a warehouse associate in terms of educational background:

Warehouse LoaderWarehouse Associate
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 59%High School Diploma, 50%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Warehouse loader vs warehouse associate demographics

Here are the differences between warehouse loaders' and warehouse associates' demographics:

Warehouse LoaderWarehouse Associate
Average age4038
Gender ratioMale, 92.5% Female, 7.5%Male, 73.7% Female, 26.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 13.9% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 21.3% Asian, 5.2% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 6.7% White, 56.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage5%6%

Differences between warehouse loader and warehouse associate duties and responsibilities

Warehouse loader example responsibilities.

  • Reconfigure WMS to manage company's new multi-brand strategy.
  • Utilize an RF (radio frequency) gun to locate the product.
  • Train newly hire warehouse dock loaders on all safety regulations and standard operating procedures.
  • Load all trucks including bulk trucks and side loaders.
  • Follow OSHA regulations to maintain a safe work environment.
  • Verify orders are selected and load properly using RF scanner.
  • Show more

Warehouse associate example responsibilities.

  • Rotate stock by code and receiving date - FIFO.
  • Create and ship documents for customs using DHL software.
  • Utilize RF gun for scanning duties include closing out invoices and assigning load plans.
  • Perform all tasks according to OSHA regulations and also attend daily safety tool box meetings.
  • Utilize a hand-held RF unit to select products/quantities for retail orders in a high volume warehouse.
  • Require consistent heavy lifting, math skills (primarily measurements), and fierce attention to detail.
  • Show more

Warehouse loader vs warehouse associate skills

Common warehouse loader skills
  • Pallets, 28%
  • Loaders, 7%
  • Electric Pallet Jack, 6%
  • OSHA, 5%
  • Customer Orders, 4%
  • Basic Math, 4%
Common warehouse associate skills
  • Pallets, 15%
  • Work Ethic, 12%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • Basic Math, 7%
  • Warehouse Environment, 5%
  • Math, 4%

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