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The differences between warehouse machine operators and warehouse workers 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 $33,010 average annual salary of a warehouse worker.
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 worker are pallets, customer service, and basic math.
| Warehouse Machine Operator | Warehouse Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $33,796 | $33,010 |
| Hourly rate | $16.25 | $15.87 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 229,051 | 255,502 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 56% | High School Diploma, 59% |
| 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.
Warehouse workers are employees assigned to handle tasks inside the company's warehouse. They are in charge of managing the entry and exit of goods inside the warehouse, ensure that the inventory is up-to-date, and check the quality of the goods that are stored. Warehouse workers receive the items that are delivered to the warehouse, ensure that the items are complete using the delivery list, and keep the items safe in the designated area in the warehouse. They also clear any items that will exit the warehouse by ensuring that only the items that are on the list will be removed from the warehouse, and checking if these items are safely packed before leaving.
Warehouse machine operators and warehouse workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Warehouse Machine Operator | Warehouse Worker | |
| Average salary | $33,796 | $33,010 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $41,000 | Between $26,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fridley, MN | Indianapolis, IN |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Indiana |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | United Natural Foods |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a warehouse machine operator and a warehouse worker in terms of educational background:
| Warehouse Machine Operator | Warehouse Worker | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 56% | High School Diploma, 59% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between warehouse machine operators' and warehouse workers' demographics:
| Warehouse Machine Operator | Warehouse Worker | |
| Average age | 43 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.3% Female, 14.7% | Male, 78.3% Female, 21.7% |
| 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, 9.9% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 6.3% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 6% |