Wheel loader operator vs fork truck operator

The differences between wheel loader operators and fork truck operators 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 fork truck operator. Additionally, a wheel loader operator has an average salary of $32,803, which is higher than the $32,272 average annual salary of a fork truck operator.

The top three skills for a wheel loader operator include asphalt, routine maintenance and forks. The most important skills for a fork truck operator are pallets, safety procedures, and load trucks.

Wheel loader operator vs fork truck operator overview

	Wheel Loader Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Yearly salary	$32,803	$32,272
Hourly rate	$15.77	$15.52
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	43,637	117,624
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 43%	High School Diploma, 51%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Wheel loader operator vs fork truck operator salary

Wheel loader operators and fork truck operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Wheel Loader Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Average salary	$32,803	$32,272
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $40,000	Between $26,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	-	Grand Forks, ND
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Seneca Foods
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between wheel loader operator and fork truck operator education

There are a few differences between a wheel loader operator and a fork truck operator in terms of educational background:

	Wheel Loader Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 43%	High School Diploma, 51%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Business
Most common college	-	-

Wheel loader operator vs fork truck operator demographics

Here are the differences between wheel loader operators' and fork truck operators' demographics:

	Wheel Loader Operator	Fork Truck Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 95.3% Female, 4.7%	Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9%
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, 12.8% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.7% Asian, 1.9% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between wheel loader operator and fork truck operator 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.

Fork truck operator example responsibilities.

Create and cataloge files for GMP library.
Perform specialized production line and quality control duties in a professional production environment specializing in plastic extrusion.
Perform specialized production line and quality control duties in a professional production environment specializing in plastic extrusion.

Wheel loader operator vs fork truck operator skills

Common wheel loader operator skills

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

Common fork truck operator skills

Pallets, 19%
Safety Procedures, 10%
Load Trucks, 7%
Load Trailers, 6%
Pallet Jack, 6%
Assembly Line, 5%

Wheel Loader Operator vs. similar jobs

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Wheel Loader Operator related jobs

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Transportation Industry
Wheel Loader Operator
Wheel Loader Operator vs Fork Truck Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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