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Job outlook for lift truck operators in the United States
Lift truck operator job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected lift truck operator job growth rate is 7% from 2018-2028.
About 56,900 new jobs for lift truck operators are projected over the next decade.
Lift truck operator salaries have increased 16% for lift truck operators in the last 5 years.
There are over 352,322 lift truck operators currently employed in the United States.
There are 103,337 active lift truck operator job openings in the US.
The average lift truck operator salary is $36,973.
Are lift truck operator jobs in demand?
Yes, lift truck operator jobs are in demand. Lift truck operator demand is projected to grow 7% from 2018 to 2028.
Lift truck operator job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of lift truck operator jobs and the average lift truck operator salary over time.
Lift truck operator jobs over time
Lift truck operator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 352,322 | 0.10% |
| 2020 | 297,802 | 0.09% |
| 2019 | 292,375 | 0.09% |
| 2018 | 280,695 | 0.08% |
| 2017 | 264,976 | 0.08% |
Average lift truck operator salary over time
Lift truck operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $36,973 | $17.78 | +3.8% |
| 2025 | $35,634 | $17.13 | +4.2% |
| 2024 | $34,207 | $16.45 | +3.3% |
| 2023 | $33,104 | $15.92 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | $31,953 | $15.36 | +1.2% |
Lift truck operator jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of lift truck operator job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where lift truck operators earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for lift truck operators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,647 | 39% |
| 2 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 265 | 35% |
| 3 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 176 | 25% |
| 4 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,157 | 21% |
| 5 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 2,452 | 19% |
| 6 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 2,173 | 19% |
| 7 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,961 | 19% |
| 8 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 902 | 18% |
| 9 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 504 | 17% |
| 10 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 176 | 17% |
| 11 | Alaska | 739,795 | 127 | 17% |
| 12 | California | 39,536,653 | 6,314 | 16% |
| 13 | New York | 19,849,399 | 2,885 | 15% |
| 14 | Vermont | 623,657 | 94 | 15% |
| 15 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 984 | 14% |
| 16 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 2,760 | 13% |
| 17 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 877 | 13% |
| 18 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 869 | 13% |
| 19 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,057 | 12% |
| 20 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 369 | 12% |
Most common cities for lift truck operators
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dalton | 8 | 23% | $30,412 |
| 2 | Lima | 1 | 3% | $36,330 |
| 3 | Baytown | 1 | 1% | $32,074 |
| 4 | Fort Smith | 1 | 1% | $33,257 |
| 5 | Milpitas | 1 | 1% | $38,568 |
| 6 | Anaheim | 1 | 0% | $36,241 |