Lift truck operator demographics and statistics in the US
Lift truck operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates lift truck operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our lift 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 lift truck operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 352,322 lift truck operators currently employed in the United States.
- 10.3% of all lift truck operators are women, while 89.7% are men.
- The average lift truck operator age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of lift truck operators is White (57.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.5%), Black or African American (16.6%) and Unknown (4.4%).
- Lift truck operators are most in-demand in Dalton, GA.
- The finance industry is the highest-paying for lift truck operators.
- 4% of all lift truck operators are LGBT.
On this page
Lift truck operator demographics by:
Lift truck operator gender statistics
10.3% of lift truck operators are women and 89.7% of lift truck operators are men.
- Male, 89.7%
- Female, 10.3%
Lift truck operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 89.7% |
| Female | 10.3% |
Lift truck operator gender pay gap
Women earn 99¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$37,218
Female income
$36,781
Lift truck operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in lift truck operator positions over time. Currently, 10.3% of lift truck operators are female.
Lift truck operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 89.82% | 10.18% |
| 2011 | 89.51% | 10.49% |
| 2012 | 90.88% | 9.12% |
| 2013 | 91.11% | 8.89% |
| 2014 | 90.56% | 9.44% |
| 2015 | 91.72% | 8.28% |
| 2016 | 90.89% | 9.11% |
| 2017 | 89.54% | 10.46% |
| 2018 | 89.38% | 10.62% |
| 2019 | 90.36% | 9.64% |
| 2020 | 89.18% | 10.82% |
| 2021 | 89.67% | 10.33% |
Lift truck operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared lift 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% |
| Lift Truck Operator | 90% | 10% |
| 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%
Lift truck operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among lift truck operators is White, which makes up 57.4% of all lift truck operators. Comparatively, 18.5% of lift truck operators are Hispanic or Latino and 16.6% of lift truck operators are Black or African American.
- White, 57.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.5%
- Black or African American, 16.6%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- Asian, 2.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Lift truck operator race
| Lift truck operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 57.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.5% |
| Black or African American | 16.6% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| Asian | 2.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Lift truck operator race and ethnicity over time
See how lift truck operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Lift truck operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 62.11% | 16.78% | 2.35% | 16.25% |
| 2011 | 60.84% | 16.73% | 2.31% | 17.74% |
| 2012 | 61.50% | 16.47% | 2.24% | 17.27% |
| 2013 | 61.12% | 16.17% | 2.42% | 17.64% |
| 2014 | 61.04% | 16.01% | 2.68% | 17.47% |
| 2015 | 62.50% | 14.72% | 2.30% | 17.90% |
| 2016 | 59.94% | 17.57% | 2.20% | 17.71% |
| 2017 | 61.49% | 15.53% | 2.39% | 17.96% |
| 2018 | 59.99% | 16.21% | 2.82% | 18.06% |
| 2019 | 62.93% | 14.84% | 2.47% | 16.83% |
| 2020 | 57.72% | 16.86% | 2.73% | 17.27% |
| 2021 | 57.36% | 16.56% | 2.44% | 18.45% |
Lift truck operator wage gap by race
According to our data, asian lift truck operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american lift truck operators have the lowest average salary at $36,274.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $37,278 |
| White | $37,248 |
| Black or African American | $36,274 |
| Asian | $38,216 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $37,098 |
Average lift truck operator age
See how the average age of lift truck operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Lift 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 |
Lift truck operator age breakdown
The average age of lift truck operators is 40+ years years old, representing 60% of the lift truck operator population.
Lift truck operator age breakdown
| Lift Truck Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 60% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Lift truck operator educational attainment
The most common degree for lift truck operators is high school diploma, with 53% of lift truck operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 18% and associate degree degree at 13%.
- High School Diploma, 53%
- Associate, 18%
- Diploma, 13%
- Bachelor's, 11%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Lift truck operators by degree level
| Lift truck operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 53% |
| Associate | 18% |
| Diploma | 13% |
| Bachelor's | 11% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Lift truck operator jobs you might like
Lift truck operator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, lift truck operators with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $38,171 annually. With a High School Diploma degree, lift truck operators earn a median annual income of $37,314 compared to $37,236 for lift truck operators with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $37,314 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $37,236 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $38,171 |
Lift truck operator employment statistics
Most lift truck operators work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where lift truck operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where lift truck operators work.
Lift truck operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 12% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 16% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 32% |
Lift truck operator jobs by company type
Employees with the lift truck operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most lift truck operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Lift truck operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 29% |
| Private | 68% |
| Government | 1% |
Lift truck operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for lift truck operators are manufacturing, retail and transportation.
Lift truck operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 23% |
| Fortune 500 | 14% |
| Retail | 13% |
| Transportation | 12% |
| Professional | 10% |
| Construction | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Automotive | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Agriculture | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Lift truck operator turnover and employment statistics
Lift truck operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for lift truck operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Lift truck operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Lift 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 lift truck operator tenure
The average lift truck operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 3,125 lift truck operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Lift truck operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 26% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 9% |
Lift truck operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of lift 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wrecking Crane Engine Operator | 1.94% | 27,915 |
| Lift Truck Operator | 3.85% | - |
| Disposal Worker | 4.13% | 19,911 |
| Beer Coil Cleaner | 4.59% | 35,543 |
| Casing In Line Feeder | 4.67% | 46,260 |
| Timber Packer | 6.68% | 16,073 |
| Fish Machine Feeder | 10.43% | 30,721 |
Similar lift truck operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Wrecking Crane Engine Operator | 1.94% | 27,915 |
| Disposal Worker | 4.13% | 19,911 |
| Beer Coil Cleaner | 4.59% | 35,543 |
| Casing In Line Feeder | 4.67% | 46,260 |
| Timber Packer | 6.68% | 16,073 |
| Fish Machine Feeder | 10.43% | 30,721 |
Foreign languages spoken by lift truck operators
The most common foreign language among lift truck operators is Spanish at 86.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Carrier at 5.3% and Russian is the third-most popular at 2.6%.
- Spanish, 86.8%
- Carrier, 5.3%
- Russian, 2.6%
- Portuguese, 2.6%
- Tagalog, 2.6%
Lift truck operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 86.8% |
| Carrier | 5.3% |
| Russian | 2.6% |
| Portuguese | 2.6% |
| Tagalog | 2.6% |
