Top Skills for This Career
BLS identifies these as the three highest-rated skills for this detailed occupation. TrustInEd adds the plain-language explanations so visitors understand what each skill means.
Paying close attention to accuracy, quality, instructions, and small but important details.
Identifying problems, considering possible solutions, and choosing appropriate actions.
Using precise hand and finger movements to control tools, equipment, or materials.
How Do You Prepare for This Career?
BLS describes the typical preparation for this occupation. Requirements can vary by employer, state, licensing rules and individual circumstances.
How to Become One
How to Become a Material Moving Machine Operator Material moving machine operators are trained on the job.
Education
and
Training
requirements vary by occupation. Crane operators typically have several years of experience in a related occupation. Education Although no formal educational credential is typically required, companies may prefer to hire material moving machine operators who have a high school diploma. For crane and tower operators and dredge operators, a high school diploma or equivalent is typically required. Training Material moving machine operators typically are trained on the job in less than a month, but the amount of time spent in training varies with the type of machine. Some machines, such as cranes and towers, are complex and may require several months of training. Others, such as industrial trucks and forklifts, may take only a few days to learn how to operate. New workers usually are trained by an experienced employee. During their training, material moving machine operators learn safety rules, many of which are standardized through the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). Employers must certify that each operator has received the proper training. Operators who work with hazardous materials receive additional training.
Licenses, Certifications & Registrations
Some states and cities require crane operators to be licensed. Operators typically must complete a skills test in which they show that they can control a crane. They also must pass a written exam that tests their knowledge of safety rules and procedures. Check with your state or city licensing agency for specific requirements. Information on state licensing board requirements is available from CareerOneStop. Employers may require or prefer that workers become certified. Information on certifications is available from CareerOneStop. Work Experience in a Related Occupation Crane and tower operators typically have several years of experience working as construction equipment operators, hoist and winch operators, or riggers and signalers.
Your Next Step
Review training, certifications, apprenticeships, or employer-based preparation that may support entry into this career.
Pay
the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980.
Job Outlook
Job Outlook Overall employment of material moving machine operators is projected to show little or no change from 2025 to 2035. Despite limited employment growth, about 70,700 openings for material moving machine operators are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. Employment Projected employment of material moving machine operators varies by occupation (see table). Material moving machine operators will be needed to move materials or products to and from various locations, such as warehouses, stockpiles, or processing stations. The continued growth in e-commerce will increase the amount of materials and products needing to be moved. However, employment demand for these workers may be limited by the expansion of automated machinery and technologies, such as sensors and scanners, that improve operations and increase efficiencies. Material Moving Machine Operators Percent change in employment, projected 2025–35 Material moving workers 4% Total, all occupations 3% Material moving machine operators 1% Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
What They Do
What Material Moving Machine Operators Do
Material moving machine operators use equipment to transport objects. For example, some operators move goods around factories and storage areas or onto container ships. Others move construction materials around building sites.
Duties
Material moving machine operators typically do the following:
- Set up and inspect material moving equipment
- Control equipment with levers, wheels, or foot pedals
- Move material according to a plan or schedule
- Signal and direct workers to load and unload materials
- Keep a record of the material they move and where they move it to
- Make minor repairs to their equipment
In warehouses and factories, most material moving machine operators use forklifts and conveyor belts. Wireless sensors and tags keep track of merchandise, allowing operators to locate it faster. Some operators also check goods for damage. These operators usually work closely with hand laborers and material movers.
In construction, material moving machine operators transport objects around building sites. Some work on a building site for the entire length of the construction project. For example, certain material moving machine operators help to construct highrise buildings by transporting materials to workers who are far above ground level. (For information about workers who operate heavy machinery for building, road, and other construction sites, see the profile on construction equipment operators.)
All material moving machine operators are responsible for safely controlling their equipment or vehicle.
The following are examples of types of material moving machine operators:
Conveyor operators and tenders control conveyor systems that move materials on an automatic belt. They monitor sensors to regulate the speed with which the system’s conveyor belt moves. They move materials to and from places such as storage areas, vehicles, and building sites. Operators also may check the shipping order and determine the route that materials take along a conveyor.
Crane and tower operators use cable and tower equipment to lift and move materials, machinery, or other heavy objects. From a control station, operators extend and retract horizontal booms, rotate the superstructure, and lower and raise hooks attached to cables at the end of their crane or tower. Operators usually are guided by workers on the ground who use hand signals or transmit voice signals through a radio. Crane and tower operators usually work at construction sites or major ports, where they load and unload cargo. Operators also may work in iron and steel mills.
Dredge operators excavate waterways. They operate equipment on the water to remove sand, gravel, or rock from harbors or lakes. Removing these materials helps to prevent erosion and to maintain navigable waterways, allowing larger ships to use ports. Dredging also is used to help restore wetlands and maintain beaches.
Hoist and winch operators, also called derrick operators, control the movement of platforms, cables, and cages that transport workers or materials in industrial operations, such as constructing a highrise building. Operators regulate the speed of the equipment on the based on the needs of the workers.
Industrial truck and tractor operators drive trucks and tractors that move materials around storage yards, warehouses, or other worksites. These trucks, often called forklifts, have a lifting mechanism and forks, which make them useful for moving heavy and large objects. Some industrial truck and tractor operators drive tractors that pull trailers loaded with material around factories or storage areas.
Work Environment
Work Environment
Material moving machine operators held about 841,500 jobs in 2025. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up material moving machine operators was distributed as follows:
| Industrial truck and tractor operators | 765,200 |
| Crane and tower operators | 42,900 |
| Conveyor operators and tenders | 29,000 |
| Hoist and winch operators | 3,200 |
| Dredge operators | 1,300 |
The largest employers of material moving machine operators were as follows:
| Warehousing and storage | 33% |
| Wholesale trade | 12 |
| Temporary help services | 7 |
| Food manufacturing | 6 |
| Construction | 3 |
Material moving machine operators work indoors and outdoors in a variety of industries.
Work Schedules
Most material moving machine operators work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Because materials are shipped around the clock, some work overnight shifts.
Important Qualities
The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page. Communication skills. Material moving machine operators signal and direct workers to load and unload material. They also receive direction from workers on the ground when moving material. Coordination. Material moving machine operators must have steady hands and feet to guide and control heavy machinery precisely. They use hand controls to maneuver their machines through tight spaces, around large objects, and on uneven surfaces. Mechanical skills. Material moving machine operators make minor adjustments to their machines and perform basic maintenance on them. Visual ability. Material moving machine operators must be able to see clearly where they are driving or what they are moving. They must also watch for nearby workers, who may unknowingly be in their path.
More Information
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about material moving machine operators by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
Take the Next Step
Explore Training Options
Review training, certifications, apprenticeships, or employer-based preparation that may support entry into this career.
Explore pathway →Hear From ED
Use the guided career counseling experience to connect this career to your goals, skills and education preferences.
Start with ED →Career data and occupational profile text are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections program. Education requirements are typical entry-level requirements and may vary by employer, state, occupation or individual circumstance. View the official BLS profile.