Forklift demographics and statistics in the US
Forklift demographics research summary. Zippia estimates forklift demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our forklift estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about forklifts after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 375,856 forklifts currently employed in the United States.
- 8.0% of all forklifts are women, while 92.0% are men.
- The average forklift age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of forklifts is White (57.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.2%), Black or African American (16.4%) and Unknown (4.4%).
- Forklifts are most in-demand in Richmond, UT.
- The transportation industry is the highest-paying for forklifts.
- 4% of all forklifts are LGBT.
On this page
Forklift demographics by:
Forklift gender statistics
8.0% of forklifts are women and 92.0% of forklifts are men.
- Male, 92.0%
- Female, 8.0%
Forklift gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 92.0% |
| Female | 8.0% |
Forklift gender pay gap
Women earn 99¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$32,199
Female income
$31,871
Forklift gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in forklift positions over time. Currently, 8.0% of forklifts are female.
Forklift gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 92.13% | 7.87% |
| 2011 | 91.89% | 8.11% |
| 2012 | 92.97% | 7.03% |
| 2013 | 93.15% | 6.85% |
| 2014 | 92.72% | 7.28% |
| 2015 | 93.63% | 6.37% |
| 2016 | 92.98% | 7.02% |
| 2017 | 91.91% | 8.09% |
| 2018 | 91.78% | 8.22% |
| 2019 | 92.56% | 7.44% |
| 2020 | 91.63% | 8.37% |
| 2021 | 92.01% | 7.99% |
Forklift related jobs gender ratio
We compared forklifts 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 | 92% | 8% |
| 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 demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among forklifts is White, which makes up 57.8% of all forklifts. Comparatively, 18.2% of forklifts are Hispanic or Latino and 16.4% of forklifts are Black or African American.
- White, 57.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.2%
- Black or African American, 16.4%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- Asian, 2.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Forklift race
| Forklift race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 57.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.2% |
| Black or African American | 16.4% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| Asian | 2.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Forklift race and ethnicity over time
See how forklift racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Forklift race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 62.53% | 16.59% | 2.37% | 16.01% |
| 2011 | 61.25% | 16.54% | 2.33% | 17.50% |
| 2012 | 61.91% | 16.28% | 2.26% | 17.03% |
| 2013 | 61.53% | 15.98% | 2.44% | 17.40% |
| 2014 | 61.46% | 15.82% | 2.70% | 17.22% |
| 2015 | 62.92% | 14.53% | 2.32% | 17.65% |
| 2016 | 60.36% | 17.38% | 2.22% | 17.47% |
| 2017 | 61.90% | 15.34% | 2.41% | 17.72% |
| 2018 | 60.41% | 16.02% | 2.84% | 17.82% |
| 2019 | 63.34% | 14.65% | 2.49% | 16.59% |
| 2020 | 58.13% | 16.67% | 2.75% | 17.03% |
| 2021 | 57.78% | 16.36% | 2.46% | 18.21% |
Forklift wage gap by race
According to our data, asian forklifts have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american forklifts have the lowest average salary at $31,491.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $32,244 |
| White | $32,222 |
| Black or African American | $31,491 |
| Asian | $32,945 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $32,109 |
Average forklift age
See how the average age of forklifts varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Forklift 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 age breakdown
The average age of forklifts is 40+ years years old, representing 60% of the forklift population.
Forklift age breakdown
| Forklift Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 60% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Forklift educational attainment
The most common degree for forklifts is high school diploma, with 58% of forklifts earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are diploma degree at 23% and diploma degree at 7%.
- High School Diploma, 58%
- Diploma, 23%
- Associate, 7%
- Bachelor's, 4%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Forklifts by degree level
| Forklift degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 58% |
| Diploma | 23% |
| Associate | 7% |
| Bachelor's | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Forklift jobs you might like
Forklift wage gap by degree level
According to the data, forklifts with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $32,911 annually. With a High School Diploma degree, forklifts earn a median annual income of $32,271 compared to $32,212 for forklifts with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $32,271 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $32,212 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $32,911 |
Forklift employment statistics
Most forklifts work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where forklifts work
Below, you can see the size of companies where forklifts work.
Forklift jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 12% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 16% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 31% |
| > 10,000 employees | 26% |
Forklift jobs by company type
Employees with the forklift job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most forklifts prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Forklift jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 26% |
| Private | 71% |
| Government | 1% |
Forklift jobs by industry
The most common industries for forklifts are manufacturing, professional and retail.
Forklift industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 21% |
| Professional | 16% |
| Retail | 14% |
| Transportation | 12% |
| Fortune 500 | 12% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Automotive | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Agriculture | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Forklift turnover and employment statistics
Forklift unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for forklifts between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Forklift unemployment rate by year
| Year | Forklift 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 tenure
The average forklift stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 3,478 forklifts resumes in Zippia's database.
Forklift tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 31% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 7% |
Forklift LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of forklifts 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Erecting Crane Operator | 1.94% | 26,205 |
| Forklift | 3.85% | - |
| Refuse Collector | 4.13% | 3,298 |
| Cooker Cleaner | 4.59% | 47,014 |
| Brush Hand | 4.67% | 4,188 |
| Selector Packer | 6.68% | 20,310 |
| Tableman | 10.43% | 1,862 |
Similar forklift jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Erecting Crane Operator | 1.94% | 26,205 |
| Refuse Collector | 4.13% | 3,298 |
| Cooker Cleaner | 4.59% | 47,014 |
| Brush Hand | 4.67% | 4,188 |
| Selector Packer | 6.68% | 20,310 |
| Tableman | 10.43% | 1,862 |
Foreign languages spoken by forklifts
The most common foreign language among forklifts is Spanish at 88.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is German at 2.3% and Russian is the third-most popular at 2.3%.
- Spanish, 88.4%
- German, 2.3%
- Russian, 2.3%
- Hindi, 2.3%
- Urdu, 2.3%
- Other, 2.4%
Forklift languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 88.4% |
| German | 2.3% |
| Russian | 2.3% |
| Hindi | 2.3% |
| Urdu | 2.3% |
| Other | 2.4% |
