Forklift driver demographics and statistics in the US
Forklift driver demographics research summary. Zippia estimates forklift driver demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our 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 forklift drivers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 482,296 forklift drivers currently employed in the United States.
- 9.0% of all forklift drivers are women, while 91.0% are men.
- The average forklift driver age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of forklift drivers is White (56.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (20.2%), Black or African American (15.7%) and Unknown (4.4%).
- Forklift drivers are most in-demand in Fort Worth, TX.
- Shakopee, MN pays an annual average wage of $38,737, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women forklift drivers earned 99% of what men earned.
- Wisconsin is the best state for forklift drivers to live.
- Forklift drivers are 59% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Forklift driver demographics by:
Forklift driver gender statistics
9.0% of forklift drivers are women and 91.0% of forklift drivers are men.
- Male, 91.0%
- Female, 9.0%
Forklift driver gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 91.0% |
| Female | 9.0% |
Forklift driver gender pay gap
Women earn 99¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$33,682
Female income
$33,315
Forklift driver gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in forklift driver positions over time. Currently, 9.0% of forklift drivers are female.
Forklift driver gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 91.15% | 8.85% |
| 2011 | 90.88% | 9.12% |
| 2012 | 92.08% | 7.92% |
| 2013 | 92.29% | 7.71% |
| 2014 | 91.80% | 8.20% |
| 2015 | 92.82% | 7.18% |
| 2016 | 92.10% | 7.90% |
| 2017 | 90.90% | 9.10% |
| 2018 | 90.76% | 9.24% |
| 2019 | 91.63% | 8.37% |
| 2020 | 90.59% | 9.41% |
| 2021 | 91.02% | 8.98% |
Forklift driver related jobs gender ratio
We compared 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% |
| Forklift Driver | 91% | 9% |
| 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%
Forklift driver demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among forklift drivers is White, which makes up 56.3% of all forklift drivers. Comparatively, 20.2% of forklift drivers are Hispanic or Latino and 15.7% of forklift drivers are Black or African American.
- White, 56.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 20.2%
- Black or African American, 15.7%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- Asian, 2.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Forklift driver race
| Forklift driver race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 56.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20.2% |
| Black or African American | 15.7% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| Asian | 2.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
Forklift driver race and ethnicity over time
See how forklift driver racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Forklift driver race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 61.03% | 15.92% | 2.43% | 18.05% |
| 2011 | 59.76% | 15.87% | 2.40% | 19.54% |
| 2012 | 60.42% | 15.61% | 2.33% | 19.07% |
| 2013 | 60.04% | 15.31% | 2.51% | 19.43% |
| 2014 | 59.96% | 15.14% | 2.76% | 19.26% |
| 2015 | 61.42% | 13.86% | 2.39% | 19.69% |
| 2016 | 58.86% | 16.71% | 2.29% | 19.50% |
| 2017 | 60.41% | 14.67% | 2.47% | 19.76% |
| 2018 | 58.91% | 15.35% | 2.91% | 19.86% |
| 2019 | 61.85% | 13.98% | 2.55% | 18.63% |
| 2020 | 56.64% | 16.00% | 2.82% | 19.06% |
| 2021 | 56.28% | 15.69% | 2.53% | 20.25% |
Forklift driver wage gap by race
According to our data, asian forklift drivers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american forklift drivers have the lowest average salary at $32,888.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $33,733 |
| White | $33,708 |
| Black or African American | $32,888 |
| Asian | $34,521 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $33,581 |
Average forklift driver age
See how the average age of forklift drivers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
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 |
Forklift driver age breakdown
The average age of forklift drivers is 40+ years years old, representing 60% of the forklift driver population.
Forklift driver age breakdown
| Forklift Driver Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 60% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Forklift driver educational attainment
The most common degree for forklift drivers is high school diploma, with 61% of forklift drivers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are diploma degree at 14% and diploma degree at 12%.
- High School Diploma, 61%
- Diploma, 14%
- Associate, 12%
- Bachelor's, 7%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Forklift drivers by degree level
| Forklift driver degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 61% |
| Diploma | 14% |
| Associate | 12% |
| Bachelor's | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Forklift driver jobs you might like
Forklift driver wage gap by degree level
According to the data, forklift drivers with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $34,483 annually. With a High School Diploma degree, forklift drivers earn a median annual income of $33,763 compared to $33,697 for forklift drivers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $33,763 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $33,697 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $34,483 |
Forklift driver employment statistics
Most forklift drivers work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where forklift drivers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where forklift drivers work.
Forklift driver jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 3% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 7% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 10% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 29% |
| > 10,000 employees | 45% |
Forklift driver jobs by company type
Employees with the forklift driver job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most forklift drivers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Forklift driver jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 40% |
| Private | 59% |
| Government | 0% |
Forklift driver jobs by industry
The most common industries for forklift drivers are manufacturing, transportation and retail.
Forklift driver industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 19% |
| Fortune 500 | 19% |
| Transportation | 15% |
| Retail | 15% |
| Professional | 11% |
| Automotive | 4% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Agriculture | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Forklift driver turnover and employment statistics
Forklift driver unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for forklift drivers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Forklift driver unemployment rate by year
| Year | 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 forklift driver tenure
The average forklift driver stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 42,542 forklift drivers resumes in Zippia's database.
Forklift driver tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 32% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 12% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
Forklift driver LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Coke Crane Operator | 1.94% | 26,203 |
| Forklift Driver | 3.85% | - |
| Solid Waste Collector | 4.13% | 4,034 |
| Screen Cleaner | 4.59% | 36,210 |
| Stager | 4.67% | 15,844 |
| Box Order Person | 6.68% | 46,678 |
| Packing Machine Can Feeder | 10.43% | 31,425 |
Similar forklift driver jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Coke Crane Operator | 1.94% | 26,203 |
| Solid Waste Collector | 4.13% | 4,034 |
| Screen Cleaner | 4.59% | 36,210 |
| Stager | 4.67% | 15,844 |
| Box Order Person | 6.68% | 46,678 |
| Packing Machine Can Feeder | 10.43% | 31,425 |
Foreign languages spoken by forklift drivers
The most common foreign language among forklift drivers is Spanish at 86.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 3.1% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 1.4%.
- Spanish, 86.2%
- French, 3.1%
- Arabic, 1.4%
- Portuguese, 1.2%
- Carrier, 1.2%
- Other, 6.9%
Forklift driver languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 86.2% |
| French | 3.1% |
| Arabic | 1.4% |
| Portuguese | 1.2% |
| Carrier | 1.2% |
| Other | 6.9% |
