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Best states for a forklift driver
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for forklift drivers? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for forklift driver jobs.Our research shows that Wisconsin is the best state in the country for forklift drivers.
The median salary for forklift drivers in Wisconsin is $36,688. Compare that to the median salary in New Mexico of $26,121, which ranked worst for forklift drivers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.Wisconsin is the best state, and Fairbanks is the city with the highest pay for forklift drivers.
10 best states for forklift drivers in 2025
1. Wisconsin
Total forklift driver jobs: 776 Average annual salary: $36,688 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 1.23
2. Minnesota
Total forklift driver jobs: 660 Average annual salary: $38,789 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 0.87
3. North Dakota
Total forklift driver jobs: 73 Average annual salary: $42,539 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 0.69
4. Alaska
Total forklift driver jobs: 36 Average annual salary: $43,069 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 0.38
5. Massachusetts
Total forklift driver jobs: 1,159 Average annual salary: $36,226 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
6. Ohio
Total forklift driver jobs: 1,447 Average annual salary: $32,933 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
7. South Dakota
Total forklift driver jobs: 70 Average annual salary: $36,290 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 0.57
8. Montana
Total forklift driver jobs: 66 Average annual salary: $37,495 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 0.5
9. Oregon
Total forklift driver jobs: 414 Average annual salary: $36,787 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 0.87
10. Nevada
Total forklift driver jobs: 204 Average annual salary: $35,375 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 0.85
Forklift driver jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a forklift driver
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a forklift driver
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | $36,688 | $28,000 | 5,795,483 | 776 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $38,789 | $30,000 | 5,576,606 | 660 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $42,539 | $33,000 | 755,393 | 73 |
| 4 | Alaska | $43,069 | $36,000 | 739,795 | 36 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $36,226 | $28,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,159 |
| 6 | Ohio | $32,933 | $25,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,447 |
| 7 | South Dakota | $36,290 | $28,000 | 869,666 | 70 |
| 8 | Montana | $37,495 | $29,000 | 1,050,493 | 66 |
| 9 | Oregon | $36,787 | $28,000 | 4,142,776 | 414 |
| 10 | Nevada | $35,375 | $27,000 | 2,998,039 | 204 |
| 11 | Washington | $37,877 | $30,000 | 7,405,743 | 497 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $36,999 | $28,000 | 579,315 | 18 |
| 13 | Iowa | $33,257 | $25,000 | 3,145,711 | 463 |
| 14 | Utah | $35,188 | $27,000 | 3,101,833 | 308 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $33,417 | $26,000 | 1,059,639 | 166 |
| 16 | Indiana | $32,398 | $25,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,102 |
| 17 | Illinois | $34,394 | $26,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,451 |
| 18 | Maine | $34,752 | $27,000 | 1,335,907 | 118 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $33,681 | $26,000 | 1,920,076 | 215 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $32,184 | $24,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,123 |
| 21 | Louisiana | $33,312 | $25,000 | 4,684,333 | 344 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $33,299 | $26,000 | 1,342,795 | 196 |
| 23 | Kansas | $32,177 | $25,000 | 2,913,123 | 408 |
| 24 | Colorado | $36,075 | $28,000 | 5,607,154 | 345 |
| 25 | Vermont | $33,582 | $26,000 | 623,657 | 88 |
| 26 | Michigan | $32,629 | $25,000 | 9,962,311 | 894 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $31,709 | $24,000 | 1,815,857 | 185 |
| 28 | Idaho | $34,116 | $26,000 | 1,716,943 | 123 |
| 29 | California | $35,052 | $26,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,991 |
| 30 | Maryland | $32,926 | $25,000 | 6,052,177 | 890 |
| 31 | New Jersey | $32,222 | $24,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,216 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $30,450 | $23,000 | 4,454,189 | 573 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $36,516 | $29,000 | 1,427,538 | 39 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $29,290 | $22,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,009 |
| 35 | District of Columbia | $31,973 | $24,000 | 693,972 | 223 |
| 36 | Missouri | $31,969 | $24,000 | 6,113,532 | 626 |
| 37 | New York | $33,074 | $25,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,029 |
| 38 | Georgia | $29,533 | $22,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,516 |
| 39 | Connecticut | $31,119 | $24,000 | 3,588,184 | 404 |
| 40 | Arizona | $31,045 | $23,000 | 7,016,270 | 606 |
| 41 | Delaware | $32,086 | $24,000 | 961,939 | 96 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $27,440 | $21,000 | 2,984,100 | 425 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $28,298 | $21,000 | 5,024,369 | 627 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $28,337 | $21,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,176 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $28,824 | $22,000 | 3,004,279 | 255 |
| 46 | Florida | $29,452 | $22,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,577 |
| 47 | Texas | $29,534 | $22,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,731 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $28,958 | $22,000 | 3,930,864 | 263 |
| 49 | Virginia | $30,811 | $23,000 | 8,470,020 | 891 |
| 50 | Alabama | $26,516 | $20,000 | 4,874,747 | 473 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $26,121 | $20,000 | 2,088,070 | 61 |
Highest paying states for forklift drivers
| Rank | State | Avg. Forklift Driver Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | $36,688 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $38,789 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $42,539 |
| 4 | Alaska | $43,069 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $36,226 |
| 6 | Ohio | $32,933 |
| 7 | South Dakota | $36,290 |
| 8 | Montana | $37,495 |
| 9 | Oregon | $36,787 |
| 10 | Nevada | $35,375 |
| 11 | Washington | $37,877 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $36,999 |
| 13 | Iowa | $33,257 |
| 14 | Utah | $35,188 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $33,417 |
| 16 | Indiana | $32,398 |
| 17 | Illinois | $34,394 |
| 18 | Maine | $34,752 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $33,681 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $32,184 |
| 21 | Louisiana | $33,312 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $33,299 |
| 23 | Kansas | $32,177 |
| 24 | Colorado | $36,075 |
| 25 | Vermont | $33,582 |
| 26 | Michigan | $32,629 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $31,709 |
| 28 | Idaho | $34,116 |
| 29 | California | $35,052 |
| 30 | Maryland | $32,926 |
| 31 | New Jersey | $32,222 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $30,450 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $36,516 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $29,290 |
| 35 | District of Columbia | $31,973 |
| 36 | Missouri | $31,969 |
| 37 | New York | $33,074 |
| 38 | Georgia | $29,533 |
| 39 | Connecticut | $31,119 |
| 40 | Arizona | $31,045 |
| 41 | Delaware | $32,086 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $27,440 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $28,298 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $28,337 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $28,824 |
| 46 | Florida | $29,452 |
| 47 | Texas | $29,534 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $28,958 |
| 49 | Virginia | $30,811 |
| 50 | Alabama | $26,516 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $26,121 |
Forklift driver best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025