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The differences between warehouse machine operators and warehouse employees can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a warehouse machine operator has an average salary of $33,796, which is higher than the $32,510 average annual salary of a warehouse employee.
The top three skills for a warehouse machine operator include basic math, safety regulations and electric pallet jack. The most important skills for a warehouse employee are pallets, customer service, and cleanliness.
| Warehouse Machine Operator | Warehouse Employee | |
| Yearly salary | $33,796 | $32,510 |
| Hourly rate | $16.25 | $15.63 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 229,051 | 186,499 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 56% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 43 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
Warehouse machine operators perform various tasks for their employers. These include setting up, operating, monitoring, and troubleshooting machinery, inspecting parts for specifications and any potential damage, and reading and interpreting diagrams and blueprints to position and secure the machines. They are expected to communicate with other team members and provide support for continuous production. Most employers are looking to hire someone with knowledge of production and safety procedures, previous experience as a machine operator, and analytical skills.
A warehouse employee is responsible for assisting high-level operations of the warehouse or distribution centers, organizing merchandise inventory, packing and labeling products, operating warehouse tools and equipment, and processing shipment orders efficiently and accurately. Warehouse employees maintain the cleanliness and orderliness of the facilities to avoid potential hazards and delay during operations. They assist in loading and unloading items from delivery vehicles to different areas of the warehouse. A warehouse employee may also perform administrative duties, such as responding to customers' inquiries and concerns through calls and e-mails, resolving complaints, and writing reports.
Warehouse machine operators and warehouse employees have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Warehouse Machine Operator | Warehouse Employee | |
| Average salary | $33,796 | $32,510 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $41,000 | Between $26,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fridley, MN | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | ALDI USA |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a warehouse machine operator and a warehouse employee in terms of educational background:
| Warehouse Machine Operator | Warehouse Employee | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 56% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between warehouse machine operators' and warehouse employees' demographics:
| Warehouse Machine Operator | Warehouse Employee | |
| Average age | 43 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.3% Female, 14.7% | Male, 82.7% Female, 17.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 15.9% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.6% Asian, 2.7% White, 56.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 6.8% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 6% |