Certified forklift driver demographics and statistics in the US
Certified forklift driver demographics research summary. Zippia estimates certified forklift driver demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our certified forklift driver estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about certified forklift drivers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 403,225 certified forklift drivers currently employed in the United States.
- 11.4% of all certified forklift drivers are women, while 88.6% are men.
- The average certified forklift driver age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of certified forklift drivers is White (56.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (19.6%), Black or African American (16.2%) and Unknown (4.3%).
- In 2022, women earned 99% of what men earned.
- 4% of all certified forklift drivers are LGBT.
- Certified forklift drivers are 66% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
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Certified forklift driver demographics by:
Certified forklift driver gender statistics
11.4% of certified forklift drivers are women and 88.6% of certified forklift drivers are men.
- Male, 88.6%
- Female, 11.4%
Certified forklift driver gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 88.6% |
| Female | 11.4% |
Certified forklift driver gender pay gap
Women earn 99¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$33,097
Female income
$32,772
Certified forklift driver gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in certified forklift driver positions over time. Currently, 11.4% of certified forklift drivers are female.
Certified forklift driver gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 88.74% | 11.26% |
| 2011 | 88.40% | 11.60% |
| 2012 | 89.90% | 10.10% |
| 2013 | 90.15% | 9.85% |
| 2014 | 89.55% | 10.45% |
| 2015 | 90.82% | 9.18% |
| 2016 | 89.91% | 10.09% |
| 2017 | 88.43% | 11.57% |
| 2018 | 88.26% | 11.74% |
| 2019 | 89.33% | 10.67% |
| 2020 | 88.04% | 11.96% |
| 2021 | 88.57% | 11.43% |
Certified forklift driver related jobs gender ratio
We compared certified forklift drivers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, dredge operator and tower crane operator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Gift Wrapper | 12% | 88% |
| Gift Packer | 18% | 82% |
| Pill Packer | 19% | 81% |
| Certified Forklift Driver | 89% | 11% |
| Green Chain Operator | 99% | 1% |
| Tower Crane Operator | 99% | 1% |
| Dredge Operator | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Certified forklift driver demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among certified forklift drivers is White, which makes up 56.6% of all certified forklift drivers. Comparatively, 19.6% of certified forklift drivers are Hispanic or Latino and 16.2% of certified forklift drivers are Black or African American.
- White, 56.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 19.6%
- Black or African American, 16.2%
- Unknown, 4.3%
- Asian, 2.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Certified forklift driver race
| Certified forklift driver race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 56.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.6% |
| Black or African American | 16.2% |
| Unknown | 4.3% |
| Asian | 2.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
Certified forklift driver race and ethnicity over time
See how certified forklift driver racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Certified forklift driver race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 61.36% | 16.44% | 2.28% | 17.45% |
| 2011 | 60.09% | 16.40% | 2.25% | 18.94% |
| 2012 | 60.75% | 16.14% | 2.18% | 18.47% |
| 2013 | 60.36% | 15.84% | 2.35% | 18.83% |
| 2014 | 60.29% | 15.67% | 2.61% | 18.66% |
| 2015 | 61.75% | 14.39% | 2.24% | 19.09% |
| 2016 | 59.19% | 17.23% | 2.14% | 18.90% |
| 2017 | 60.74% | 15.20% | 2.32% | 19.16% |
| 2018 | 59.24% | 15.88% | 2.76% | 19.26% |
| 2019 | 62.17% | 14.50% | 2.40% | 18.03% |
| 2020 | 56.96% | 16.52% | 2.67% | 18.46% |
| 2021 | 56.61% | 16.22% | 2.38% | 19.65% |
Certified forklift driver wage gap by race
According to our data, asian certified forklift drivers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american certified forklift drivers have the lowest average salary at $32,396.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $33,141 |
| White | $33,119 |
| Black or African American | $32,396 |
| Asian | $33,835 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $33,008 |
Average certified forklift driver age
See how the average age of certified forklift drivers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Certified forklift driver age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 44 | 37 |
| Unknown | 40 | 44 |
| Asian | 42.5 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 42 | 42 |
| White | 45 | 49.5 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 34 |
Certified forklift driver age breakdown
The average age of certified forklift drivers is 40+ years years old, representing 60% of the certified forklift driver population.
Certified forklift driver age breakdown
| Certified Forklift Driver Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 60% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Certified forklift driver educational attainment
The most common degree for certified forklift drivers is high school diploma, with 55% of certified forklift drivers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 14% and associate degree degree at 14%.
- High School Diploma, 55%
- Associate, 14%
- Bachelor's, 14%
- Diploma, 10%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Certified forklift drivers by degree level
| Certified forklift driver degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 55% |
| Associate | 14% |
| Bachelor's | 14% |
| Diploma | 10% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Certified forklift driver jobs you might like
Certified forklift driver wage gap by degree level
According to the data, certified forklift drivers with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $33,801 annually. With a High School Diploma degree, certified forklift drivers earn a median annual income of $33,168 compared to $33,110 for certified forklift drivers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $33,168 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $33,110 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $33,801 |
Certified forklift driver employment statistics
Most certified forklift drivers work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where certified forklift drivers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where certified forklift drivers work.
Certified forklift driver jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 3% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 13% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 17% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 24% |
| > 10,000 employees | 33% |
Certified forklift driver jobs by company type
Employees with the certified forklift driver job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most certified forklift drivers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Certified forklift driver jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 30% |
| Private | 66% |
| Government | 2% |
Certified forklift driver jobs by industry
The most common industries for certified forklift drivers are manufacturing, retail and transportation.
Certified forklift driver industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 21% |
| Fortune 500 | 16% |
| Retail | 14% |
| Transportation | 11% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Construction | 5% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Automotive | 3% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Government | 2% |
| Agriculture | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Certified forklift driver turnover and employment statistics
Certified forklift driver unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for certified forklift drivers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Certified forklift driver unemployment rate by year
| Year | Certified forklift driver unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 17.04% |
| 2011 | 14.60% |
| 2012 | 12.67% |
| 2013 | 10.05% |
| 2014 | 9.10% |
| 2015 | 6.72% |
| 2016 | 6.89% |
| 2017 | 5.99% |
| 2018 | 5.33% |
| 2019 | 4.81% |
| 2020 | 7.22% |
| 2021 | 6.71% |
Average certified forklift driver tenure
The average certified forklift driver stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,611 certified forklift drivers resumes in Zippia's database.
Certified forklift driver tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 27% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Certified forklift driver LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of certified forklift drivers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Truck-Crane Operator | 1.94% | 76,650 |
| Certified Forklift Driver | 3.85% | - |
| Garbage Pick Up Worker | 4.13% | 24,154 |
| Used Car Make Ready Worker | 4.59% | 25,441 |
| Munitions Handler | 4.67% | 25,954 |
| Book Packer | 6.68% | 16,164 |
| Spinning Doffer | 10.43% | 11 |
Similar certified forklift driver jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Truck-Crane Operator | 1.94% | 76,650 |
| Garbage Pick Up Worker | 4.13% | 24,154 |
| Used Car Make Ready Worker | 4.59% | 25,441 |
| Munitions Handler | 4.67% | 25,954 |
| Book Packer | 6.68% | 16,164 |
| Spinning Doffer | 10.43% | 11 |
Foreign languages spoken by certified forklift drivers
The most common foreign language among certified forklift drivers is Spanish at 70.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 10.0% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 3.3%.
- Spanish, 70.0%
- French, 10.0%
- Portuguese, 3.3%
- German, 3.3%
- Carrier, 3.3%
- Other, 10.1%
Certified forklift driver languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 70.0% |
| French | 10.0% |
| Portuguese | 3.3% |
| German | 3.3% |
| Carrier | 3.3% |
| Other | 10.1% |
