Forklift truck operator demographics and statistics in the US
Forklift truck operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates forklift truck operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our forklift truck operator 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 truck operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 444,603 forklift truck operators currently employed in the United States.
- 7.1% of all forklift truck operators are women, while 92.9% are men.
- The average forklift truck operator age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of forklift truck operators is White (58.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.6%), Black or African American (15.9%) and Unknown (4.4%).
- Forklift truck operators are most in-demand in Huntsville, AL.
- The manufacturing industry is the highest-paying for forklift truck operators.
- 4% of all forklift truck operators are LGBT.
On this page
Forklift truck operator demographics by:
Forklift truck operator gender statistics
7.1% of forklift truck operators are women and 92.9% of forklift truck operators are men.
- Male, 92.9%
- Female, 7.1%
Forklift truck operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 92.9% |
| Female | 7.1% |
Forklift truck operator gender pay gap
Women earn 99¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$34,738
Female income
$34,417
Forklift truck operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in forklift truck operator positions over time. Currently, 7.1% of forklift truck operators are female.
Forklift truck operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 92.97% | 7.03% |
| 2011 | 92.74% | 7.26% |
| 2012 | 93.72% | 6.28% |
| 2013 | 93.89% | 6.11% |
| 2014 | 93.49% | 6.51% |
| 2015 | 94.32% | 5.68% |
| 2016 | 93.73% | 6.27% |
| 2017 | 92.76% | 7.24% |
| 2018 | 92.65% | 7.35% |
| 2019 | 93.35% | 6.65% |
| 2020 | 92.51% | 7.49% |
| 2021 | 92.86% | 7.14% |
Forklift truck operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared forklift truck operators 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 Truck Operator | 93% | 7% |
| 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 truck operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among forklift truck operators is White, which makes up 58.3% of all forklift truck operators. Comparatively, 17.6% of forklift truck operators are Hispanic or Latino and 15.9% of forklift truck operators are Black or African American.
- White, 58.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.6%
- Black or African American, 15.9%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- Asian, 2.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Forklift truck operator race
| Forklift truck operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 58.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.6% |
| Black or African American | 15.9% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| Asian | 2.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
Forklift truck operator race and ethnicity over time
See how forklift truck operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Forklift truck operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 63.09% | 16.09% | 2.79% | 15.39% |
| 2011 | 61.82% | 16.05% | 2.75% | 16.88% |
| 2012 | 62.48% | 15.79% | 2.68% | 16.41% |
| 2013 | 62.10% | 15.49% | 2.86% | 16.77% |
| 2014 | 62.02% | 15.32% | 3.12% | 16.60% |
| 2015 | 63.48% | 14.04% | 2.74% | 17.03% |
| 2016 | 60.92% | 16.88% | 2.64% | 16.84% |
| 2017 | 62.47% | 14.85% | 2.83% | 17.10% |
| 2018 | 60.97% | 15.53% | 3.26% | 17.20% |
| 2019 | 63.91% | 14.15% | 2.91% | 15.97% |
| 2020 | 58.70% | 16.17% | 3.17% | 16.41% |
| 2021 | 58.34% | 15.87% | 2.88% | 17.59% |
Forklift truck operator wage gap by race
According to our data, asian forklift truck operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american forklift truck operators have the lowest average salary at $34,043.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $34,782 |
| White | $34,761 |
| Black or African American | $34,043 |
| Asian | $35,469 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $34,650 |
Average forklift truck operator age
See how the average age of forklift truck operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Forklift truck operator 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 truck operator age breakdown
The average age of forklift truck operators is 40+ years years old, representing 60% of the forklift truck operator population.
Forklift truck operator age breakdown
| Forklift Truck Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 60% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Forklift truck operator educational attainment
The most common degree for forklift truck operators is high school diploma, with 54% of forklift truck operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are diploma degree at 18% and diploma degree at 15%.
- High School Diploma, 54%
- Diploma, 18%
- Associate, 15%
- Bachelor's, 8%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Forklift truck operators by degree level
| Forklift truck operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 54% |
| Diploma | 18% |
| Associate | 15% |
| Bachelor's | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Forklift truck operator jobs you might like
Forklift truck operator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, forklift truck operators with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $35,436 annually. With a High School Diploma degree, forklift truck operators earn a median annual income of $34,809 compared to $34,751 for forklift truck operators with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $34,809 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $34,751 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $35,436 |
Forklift truck operator employment statistics
Most forklift truck operators work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where forklift truck operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where forklift truck operators work.
Forklift truck operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 18% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 31% |
Forklift truck operator jobs by company type
Employees with the forklift truck operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most forklift truck operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Forklift truck operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 29% |
| Private | 69% |
| Government | 1% |
Forklift truck operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for forklift truck operators are manufacturing, transportation and professional.
Forklift truck operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 23% |
| Fortune 500 | 14% |
| Transportation | 12% |
| Professional | 10% |
| Retail | 9% |
| Construction | 5% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Automotive | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Agriculture | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
Forklift truck operator turnover and employment statistics
Forklift truck operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for forklift truck operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Forklift truck operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Forklift truck operator 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 truck operator tenure
The average forklift truck operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,257 forklift truck operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Forklift truck operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 28% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 7% |
Forklift truck operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of forklift truck operators 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 Truck Operator | 3.85% | - |
| Automated Residential Collection Operator | 4.13% | 34,502 |
| Still Cleaner | 4.59% | 35,497 |
| Scrap Iron Loader | 4.67% | 2,850 |
| Ampoule Sealer | 6.68% | 49 |
| Sewing Line Baler | 10.43% | 46,264 |
Similar forklift truck operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Coke Crane Operator | 1.94% | 26,203 |
| Automated Residential Collection Operator | 4.13% | 34,502 |
| Still Cleaner | 4.59% | 35,497 |
| Scrap Iron Loader | 4.67% | 2,850 |
| Ampoule Sealer | 6.68% | 49 |
| Sewing Line Baler | 10.43% | 46,264 |
Foreign languages spoken by forklift truck operators
The most common foreign language among forklift truck operators is Spanish at 83.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Arabic at 5.6% and French is the third-most popular at 5.6%.
- Spanish, 83.3%
- Arabic, 5.6%
- French, 5.6%
- Tagalog, 5.6%
Forklift truck operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 83.3% |
| Arabic | 5.6% |
| French | 5.6% |
| Tagalog | 5.6% |
