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Job outlook for forklifts in the United States
Forklift job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected forklift job growth rate is 7% from 2018-2028.
About 56,900 new jobs for forklifts are projected over the next decade.
Forklift salaries have increased 16% for forklifts in the last 5 years.
There are over 375,856 forklifts currently employed in the United States.
There are 113,257 active forklift job openings in the US.
The average forklift salary is $32,015.
Are forklift jobs in demand?
Yes, forklift jobs are in demand. Forklift demand is projected to grow 7% from 2018 to 2028.
Forklift job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of forklift jobs and the average forklift salary over time.
Forklift jobs over time
Forklift job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 375,856 | 0.11% |
| 2020 | 317,695 | 0.09% |
| 2019 | 311,905 | 0.09% |
| 2018 | 299,444 | 0.09% |
| 2017 | 282,676 | 0.09% |
Average forklift salary over time
Forklift salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $32,015 | $15.39 | +3.8% |
| 2025 | $30,856 | $14.83 | +4.2% |
| 2024 | $29,620 | $14.24 | +3.3% |
| 2023 | $28,665 | $13.78 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | $27,668 | $13.30 | +1.2% |
Forklift jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of forklift job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where forklifts earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for forklifts
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 2,128 | 17% |
| 2 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,045 | 16% |
| 3 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,277 | 14% |
| 4 | Vermont | 623,657 | 79 | 13% |
| 5 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 724 | 12% |
| 6 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 348 | 12% |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 127 | 12% |
| 8 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 90 | 12% |
| 9 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,187 | 11% |
| 10 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 780 | 11% |
| 11 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 713 | 11% |
| 12 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 646 | 11% |
| 13 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 619 | 11% |
| 14 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 497 | 11% |
| 15 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 344 | 11% |
| 16 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 145 | 11% |
| 17 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,232 | 10% |
| 18 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 1,097 | 9% |
| 19 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 255 | 8% |
| 20 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 234 | 8% |
Most common cities for forklifts
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lebanon | 3 | 10% | $29,945 |
| 2 | Greer | 2 | 7% | $28,682 |
| 3 | Jeffersonville | 3 | 6% | $30,367 |
| 4 | Florence | 2 | 6% | $30,939 |
| 5 | Union City | 3 | 4% | $35,604 |
| 6 | Bolingbrook | 2 | 3% | $33,662 |
| 7 | Grand Forks | 2 | 3% | $40,890 |
| 8 | Greenville | 2 | 3% | $28,658 |
| 9 | Tacoma | 5 | 2% | $35,940 |
| 10 | Savannah | 3 | 2% | $29,044 |
| 11 | Asheville | 2 | 2% | $28,697 |
| 12 | Minneapolis | 3 | 1% | $38,135 |
| 13 | Chattanooga | 2 | 1% | $29,539 |
| 14 | Clarksville | 2 | 1% | $30,134 |
| 15 | Phoenix | 3 | 0% | $32,337 |
| 16 | Dallas | 2 | 0% | $28,968 |