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Job outlook for forklift drivers in the United States
Forklift driver job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected forklift driver job growth rate is 7% from 2018-2028.
About 56,900 new jobs for forklift drivers are projected over the next decade.
Forklift driver salaries have increased 16% for forklift drivers in the last 5 years.
There are over 482,296 forklift drivers currently employed in the United States.
There are 116,516 active forklift driver job openings in the US.
The average forklift driver salary is $33,476.
Are forklift driver jobs in demand?
Yes, forklift driver jobs are in demand. Forklift driver demand is projected to grow 7% from 2018 to 2028.
Forklift driver job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of forklift driver jobs and the average forklift driver salary over time.
Forklift driver jobs over time
Forklift driver job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 482,296 | 0.14% |
| 2020 | 408,659 | 0.12% |
| 2019 | 401,693 | 0.12% |
| 2018 | 385,741 | 0.12% |
| 2017 | 364,397 | 0.11% |
Average forklift driver salary over time
Forklift driver salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $33,476 | $16.09 | +3.8% |
| 2024 | $32,264 | $15.51 | +4.2% |
| 2023 | $30,972 | $14.89 | +3.3% |
| 2022 | $29,974 | $14.41 | +3.6% |
| 2021 | $28,931 | $13.91 | +1.2% |
Forklift driver jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of forklift driver job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where forklift drivers earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for forklift drivers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 223 | 32% |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 2,123 | 17% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,159 | 17% |
| 4 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,102 | 17% |
| 5 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 166 | 16% |
| 6 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,516 | 15% |
| 7 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 1,009 | 15% |
| 8 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 890 | 15% |
| 9 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 463 | 15% |
| 10 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 196 | 15% |
| 11 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,216 | 14% |
| 12 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 425 | 14% |
| 13 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 408 | 14% |
| 14 | Vermont | 623,657 | 88 | 14% |
| 15 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 776 | 13% |
| 16 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 573 | 13% |
| 17 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 1,447 | 12% |
| 18 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 660 | 12% |
| 19 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 627 | 12% |
| 20 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,451 | 11% |
Most common cities for forklift drivers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hanover Park | 5 | 13% | $34,619 |
| 2 | Chino | 8 | 9% | $34,124 |
| 3 | Burlington | 5 | 9% | $28,479 |
| 4 | Fontana | 9 | 4% | $34,114 |
| 5 | Ontario | 7 | 4% | $34,139 |
| 6 | Grand Prairie | 5 | 3% | $29,740 |
| 7 | Mobile | 5 | 3% | $26,239 |
| 8 | Columbus | 14 | 2% | $32,419 |
| 9 | Riverside | 8 | 2% | $34,003 |
| 10 | Saint Paul | 5 | 2% | $38,801 |
| 11 | San Bernardino | 5 | 2% | $34,074 |
| 12 | Fort Worth | 8 | 1% | $29,778 |
| 13 | Atlanta | 5 | 1% | $29,634 |
| 14 | Chicago | 5 | 0% | $34,501 |
| 15 | Dallas | 5 | 0% | $29,737 |