How To Become A Lead Loader: What It Is and Career Path

What is a lead loader and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a lead loader. For example, did you know that they make an average of $17.72 an hour? That's $36,858 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 7% and produce 56,900 job opportunities across the U.S.

ScoreLead LoaderUS Average

Salary

2.9

Avg. Salary $36,858

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

8.3

Growth Rate 7%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.78%

Asian 2.26%

Black or African American 15.20%

Hispanic or Latino 19.11%

Unknown 4.27%

White 58.38%

Gender

female 11.25%

male 88.75%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress Level

8.3

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

8.8

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

3.8

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Newest jobs for Lead Loader in Columbus, OH

Receive alerts for the newest job postings.

Key steps to become a lead loader

Explore lead loader education requirements

Most common lead loader degrees

High School Diploma

47.0 %

Associate

18.2 %

Bachelor's

18.2 %

Start to develop specific lead loader skills

Skills	Percentages
Load Trucks	17.75%
Safety Standards	16.11%
Pallets	10.60%
Loaders	9.45%
Unload Trailers	6.41%

Complete relevant lead loader training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New lead loaders learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a lead loader based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real lead loader resumes.

Research lead loader duties and responsibilities

Manage Mexico border, customs paperwork, and drayage for Lear, drayage/door to door movements for Nissan.
Move product locations using RF unit.
Help direct other loaders during operation, ensuring accurate and efficient completion of tasks.
Distribute work to loaders daily and keep records of production numbers for each loader.

Get lead loader experience

Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become a lead loader. The most common roles before becoming a lead loader include forklift operator, cashier team lead and machine operator.

Prepare your lead loader resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your lead loader resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a lead loader resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Lead Loader Resume templates

Build a professional Lead Loader resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Lead Loader resume.

Apply for lead loader jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a lead loader job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do lead loaders rate their job?