Forklift Driver Education Requirements And Courses

Forklift driver education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Usually, forklift drivers don't need a college education. The most common degree for forklift drivers is high school diploma with 61% graduates, with only 14% forklift driver graduates earning diploma. Forklift drivers who decided to graduate from college often finish University of Phoenix or St. Louis. Some good skills to have in this position include pallets, electric pallet jack and safety procedures.

Popular forklift driver certifications include Forklift Safety and Inspector, Commercial Driver License (CDL), or OSHA Safety Certificate . To improve forklift driver qualification and skills, we prepared some online courses to help in forklift driver education paths.

What education do you need to become a forklift driver?

What degree do you need to be a forklift driver?

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%

What should I major in to become a forklift driver?

You should major in business to become a forklift driver. 24% of forklift drivers major in business. Other common majors for a forklift driver include general studies and criminal justice.

Business, 24%

General Studies, 15%

Criminal Justice, 8%

Computer Science, 6%

Other Majors, 47%

Best majors for forklift drivers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	23.9%
2	General Studies	15.0%
3	Criminal Justice	8.3%
4	Computer Science	6.0%
5	Automotive Technology	5.6%

Show more common forklift driver majors

20 best online courses for forklift drivers

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Learn how to deal with difficult customers Master customer relationship management Gain conflict management skills...

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Average forklift driver salary by education level

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.

Forklift driver education level	Forklift driver salary
High School Diploma or Less	$33,763
Bachelor's Degree	$33,697
Some College/ Associate Degree	$34,483