Do forklift operators make good money?

Question

Zippia Team · Accepted Answer

No, forklift operators do not make good money. The lowest-paid forklift operators are only paid around $19,000 a year, while the highest only reach about $35,000 in total annual salary, both of which are well below the average salary across all jobs in the United States.

The national average salary for a forklift operator is only $28,000 a year; this equals about $14 an hour.

If a person moves into a slightly higher position, like a forklift supervisor or a forklift engineer, the salary levels jump drastically. Forklift engineers earn around $64,000 a year, and forklift supervisors earn about $60,000 a year. These are both more than double the average annual salary of a forklift operator.

While changing job titles can increase a forklift operator's salary, moving to another location does not. Salaries do not vary much by location, with the highest paying jobs in California only averaging around $35,000 a year. This, paired with the higher cost of living, means that forklift operators make about the same money everywhere.