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Job outlook for forklift truck operators in the United States
Forklift truck operator job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected forklift truck operator job growth rate is 7% from 2018-2028.
About 56,900 new jobs for forklift truck operators are projected over the next decade.
Forklift truck operator salaries have increased 16% for forklift truck operators in the last 5 years.
There are over 444,603 forklift truck operators currently employed in the United States.
There are 92,925 active forklift truck operator job openings in the US.
The average forklift truck operator salary is $34,558.
Are forklift truck operator jobs in demand?
Yes, forklift truck operator jobs are in demand. Forklift truck operator demand is projected to grow 7% from 2018 to 2028.
Forklift truck operator job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of forklift truck operator jobs and the average forklift truck operator salary over time.
Forklift truck operator jobs over time
Forklift truck operator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 444,603 | 0.13% |
| 2020 | 375,803 | 0.11% |
| 2019 | 368,955 | 0.11% |
| 2018 | 354,215 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | 334,380 | 0.10% |
Average forklift truck operator salary over time
Forklift truck operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $34,558 | $16.61 | +3.8% |
| 2024 | $33,307 | $16.01 | +4.2% |
| 2023 | $31,973 | $15.37 | +3.3% |
| 2022 | $30,942 | $14.88 | +3.6% |
| 2021 | $29,866 | $14.36 | +1.2% |
Forklift truck operator jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of forklift truck operator job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where forklift truck operators earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for forklift truck operators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 146 | 21% |
| 2 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,347 | 18% |
| 3 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,031 | 18% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,119 | 16% |
| 5 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 909 | 15% |
| 6 | Alaska | 739,795 | 114 | 15% |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 146 | 14% |
| 8 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 881 | 13% |
| 9 | California | 39,536,653 | 4,895 | 12% |
| 10 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 2,418 | 12% |
| 11 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,122 | 11% |
| 12 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 492 | 10% |
| 13 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,151 | 9% |
| 14 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 1,024 | 9% |
| 15 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 838 | 9% |
| 16 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 571 | 9% |
| 17 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 379 | 9% |
| 18 | Vermont | 623,657 | 55 | 9% |
| 19 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 219 | 8% |
| 20 | Delaware | 961,939 | 80 | 8% |
Most common cities for forklift truck operators
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lawrenceville | 1 | 3% | $33,249 |
| 2 | Menomonee Falls | 1 | 3% | $40,960 |
| 3 | Ames | 1 | 2% | $37,917 |
| 4 | Leominster | 1 | 2% | $39,044 |
| 5 | Savannah | 2 | 1% | $32,981 |
| 6 | Framingham | 1 | 1% | $39,008 |
| 7 | Hollywood | 1 | 1% | $34,900 |
| 8 | Phoenix | 1 | 0% | $36,617 |