Machine operator/forklift operator demographics and statistics in the US
Machine operator/forklift operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates machine operator/forklift operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our machine operator/forklift 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 machine operator/forklift operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 1,000,042 machine operator/forklift operators currently employed in the United States.
- 10.1% of all machine operator/forklift operators are women, while 89.9% are men.
- The average machine operator/forklift operator age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of machine operator/forklift operators is White (57.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.5%), Black or African American (16.6%) and Unknown (4.3%).
- Machine operator/forklift operators are most in-demand in Visalia, CA.
- The automotive industry is the highest-paying for machine operator/forklift operators.
- 4% of all machine operator/forklift operators are LGBT.
On this page
Machine operator/forklift operator demographics by:
Machine operator/forklift operator gender statistics
10.1% of machine operator/forklift operators are women and 89.9% of machine operator/forklift operators are men.
- Male, 89.9%
- Female, 10.1%
Machine operator/forklift operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 89.9% |
| Female | 10.1% |
Machine operator/forklift operator gender pay gap
Women earn 99¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$32,637
Female income
$32,306
Machine operator/forklift operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in machine operator/forklift operator positions over time. Currently, 10.1% of machine operator/forklift operators are female.
Machine operator/forklift operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 90.06% | 9.94% |
| 2011 | 89.76% | 10.24% |
| 2012 | 91.10% | 8.90% |
| 2013 | 91.33% | 8.67% |
| 2014 | 90.78% | 9.22% |
| 2015 | 91.92% | 8.08% |
| 2016 | 91.11% | 8.89% |
| 2017 | 89.78% | 10.22% |
| 2018 | 89.63% | 10.37% |
| 2019 | 90.59% | 9.41% |
| 2020 | 89.44% | 10.56% |
| 2021 | 89.91% | 10.09% |
Machine operator/forklift operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared machine operator/forklift 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% |
| Machine Operator/Forklift 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%
Machine operator/forklift operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among machine operator/forklift operators is White, which makes up 57.4% of all machine operator/forklift operators. Comparatively, 18.5% of machine operator/forklift operators are Hispanic or Latino and 16.6% of machine operator/forklift operators are Black or African American.
- White, 57.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.5%
- Black or African American, 16.6%
- Unknown, 4.3%
- Asian, 2.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Machine operator/forklift operator race
| Machine operator/forklift operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 57.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.5% |
| Black or African American | 16.6% |
| Unknown | 4.3% |
| Asian | 2.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
Machine operator/forklift operator race and ethnicity over time
See how machine operator/forklift operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Machine operator/forklift operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 62.13% | 16.84% | 2.25% | 16.33% |
| 2011 | 60.86% | 16.80% | 2.22% | 17.82% |
| 2012 | 61.52% | 16.53% | 2.15% | 17.35% |
| 2013 | 61.14% | 16.23% | 2.33% | 17.71% |
| 2014 | 61.06% | 16.07% | 2.58% | 17.54% |
| 2015 | 62.52% | 14.79% | 2.21% | 17.97% |
| 2016 | 59.96% | 17.63% | 2.11% | 17.78% |
| 2017 | 61.51% | 15.59% | 2.30% | 18.04% |
| 2018 | 60.01% | 16.27% | 2.73% | 18.14% |
| 2019 | 62.95% | 14.90% | 2.37% | 16.91% |
| 2020 | 57.74% | 16.92% | 2.64% | 17.35% |
| 2021 | 57.38% | 16.62% | 2.35% | 18.53% |
Machine operator/forklift operator wage gap by race
According to our data, asian machine operator/forklift operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american machine operator/forklift operators have the lowest average salary at $31,922.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $32,683 |
| White | $32,660 |
| Black or African American | $31,922 |
| Asian | $33,392 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $32,546 |
Average machine operator/forklift operator age
See how the average age of machine operator/forklift operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Machine operator/forklift 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 |
Machine operator/forklift operator age breakdown
The average age of machine operator/forklift operators is 40+ years years old, representing 60% of the machine operator/forklift operator population.
Machine operator/forklift operator age breakdown
| Machine Operator/Forklift Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 60% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Machine operator/forklift operator educational attainment
The most common degree for machine operator/forklift operators is high school diploma, with 61% of machine operator/forklift operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are diploma degree at 17% and diploma degree at 12%.
- High School Diploma, 61%
- Diploma, 17%
- Associate, 12%
- Bachelor's, 5%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Machine operator/forklift operators by degree level
| Machine operator/forklift operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 61% |
| Diploma | 17% |
| Associate | 12% |
| Bachelor's | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Machine operator/forklift operator jobs you might like
Machine operator/forklift operator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, machine operator/forklift operators with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $33,357 annually. With a High School Diploma degree, machine operator/forklift operators earn a median annual income of $32,710 compared to $32,651 for machine operator/forklift operators with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $32,710 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $32,651 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $33,357 |
Machine operator/forklift operator employment statistics
Most machine operator/forklift operators work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where machine operator/forklift operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where machine operator/forklift operators work.
Machine operator/forklift operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 8% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 13% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 31% |
| > 10,000 employees | 34% |
Machine operator/forklift operator jobs by company type
Employees with the machine operator/forklift operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most machine operator/forklift operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Machine operator/forklift operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 35% |
| Private | 63% |
| Government | 0% |
Machine operator/forklift operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for machine operator/forklift operators are manufacturing, professional and retail.
Machine operator/forklift operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 37% |
| Fortune 500 | 15% |
| Professional | 7% |
| Retail | 7% |
| Transportation | 6% |
| Automotive | 6% |
| Construction | 5% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Agriculture | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Machine operator/forklift operator turnover and employment statistics
Machine operator/forklift operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for machine operator/forklift operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Machine operator/forklift operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Machine operator/forklift 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 machine operator/forklift operator tenure
The average machine operator/forklift operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 13,748 machine operator/forklift operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Machine operator/forklift operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 22% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 9% |
Machine operator/forklift operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of machine operator/forklift 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Crane Operator | 1.94% | 34,918 |
| Machine Operator/Forklift Operator | 3.85% | - |
| Residential Collections | 4.13% | 10,631 |
| Cesspool Cleaner | 4.59% | 35,476 |
| Sand Car Worker | 4.67% | 29,566 |
| Box Order Person | 6.68% | 46,678 |
| Green Chainer | 10.43% | 195 |
Similar machine operator/forklift operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Crane Operator | 1.94% | 34,918 |
| Residential Collections | 4.13% | 10,631 |
| Cesspool Cleaner | 4.59% | 35,476 |
| Sand Car Worker | 4.67% | 29,566 |
| Box Order Person | 6.68% | 46,678 |
| Green Chainer | 10.43% | 195 |
Foreign languages spoken by machine operator/forklift operators
The most common foreign language among machine operator/forklift operators is Spanish at 81.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 4.5% and Carrier is the third-most popular at 2.6%.
- Spanish, 81.8%
- French, 4.5%
- Carrier, 2.6%
- Polish, 2.6%
- Hmong, 1.9%
- Other, 6.6%
Machine operator/forklift operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 81.8% |
| French | 4.5% |
| Carrier | 2.6% |
| Polish | 2.6% |
| Hmong | 1.9% |
| Other | 6.6% |
