Wheel loader operator vs driver/material handler

The differences between wheel loader operators and driver/material handlers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a wheel loader operator and a driver/material handler. Additionally, a driver/material handler has an average salary of $36,219, which is higher than the $32,803 average annual salary of a wheel loader operator.

The top three skills for a wheel loader operator include asphalt, routine maintenance and forks. The most important skills for a driver/material handler are CDL, customer orders, and inventory control.

Wheel loader operator vs driver/material handler overview

	Wheel Loader Operator	Driver/Material Handler
Yearly salary	$32,803	$36,219
Hourly rate	$15.77	$17.41
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	43,637	198,718
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 43%	High School Diploma, 53%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Wheel loader operator vs driver/material handler salary

Wheel loader operators and driver/material handlers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Wheel Loader Operator	Driver/Material Handler
Average salary	$32,803	$36,219
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $40,000	Between $28,000 And $45,000
Highest paying City	-	Santa Clara, CA
Highest paying state	-	Hawaii
Best paying company	-	Merck
Best paying industry	-	Automotive

Differences between wheel loader operator and driver/material handler education

There are a few differences between a wheel loader operator and a driver/material handler in terms of educational background:

	Wheel Loader Operator	Driver/Material Handler
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 43%	High School Diploma, 53%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Business
Most common college	-	-

Wheel loader operator vs driver/material handler demographics

Here are the differences between wheel loader operators' and driver/material handlers' demographics:

	Wheel Loader Operator	Driver/Material Handler
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 95.3% Female, 4.7%	Male, 89.4% Female, 10.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 15.0% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 2.7% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 15.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 2.6% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between wheel loader operator and driver/material handler duties and responsibilities

Wheel loader operator example responsibilities.

Perform specialized production line and quality control duties in a professional production environment specializing in plastic extrusion.
Experience also includes track hoe and dozer operations as needed.
Perform specialized production line and quality control duties in a professional production environment specializing in plastic extrusion.

Driver/material handler example responsibilities.

Manage temporary staff doing warehouse work and train and test them in order to receive forklift certification per OSHA.
Load and unload LTL freight from inbound and outbound trailers.
Operate forklifts in transferring loading and unloading materials in LTL.
Pick and audit hazmat and international orders.
Handle emergency hazmat situations requiring quick decision making skills.
Stack and move pallets from different lines with different products documenting quantity and quality while participating in a team environment.

Wheel loader operator vs driver/material handler skills

Common wheel loader operator skills

Asphalt, 57%
Routine Maintenance, 29%
Forks, 15%

Common driver/material handler skills

CDL, 21%
Customer Orders, 11%
Inventory Control, 9%
Customer Service, 9%
Safety Rules, 7%
Pallets, 6%

Wheel Loader Operator vs. similar jobs

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Transportation Industry
Wheel Loader Operator
Wheel Loader Operator vs Driver/Material Handler

Updated January 8, 2025

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