Material handler/forklift operator demographics and statistics in the US
Material handler/forklift operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates material handler/forklift operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our material handler/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 material handler/forklift operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 1,330,582 material handler/forklift operators currently employed in the United States.
- 10.9% of all material handler/forklift operators are women, while 89.1% are men.
- The average material handler/forklift operator age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of material handler/forklift operators is White (58.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.2%), Black or African American (16.3%) and Unknown (4.3%).
- In 2022, women earned 99% of what men earned.
- 4% of all material handler/forklift operators are LGBT.
- Material handler/forklift operators are 53% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
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Material handler/forklift operator demographics by:
Material handler/forklift operator gender statistics
10.9% of material handler/forklift operators are women and 89.1% of material handler/forklift operators are men.
- Male, 89.1%
- Female, 10.9%
Material handler/forklift operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 89.1% |
| Female | 10.9% |
Material handler/forklift operator gender pay gap
Women earn 99¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$36,673
Female income
$36,281
Material handler/forklift operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in material handler/forklift operator positions over time. Currently, 10.9% of material handler/forklift operators are female.
Material handler/forklift operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 89.29% | 10.71% |
| 2011 | 88.97% | 11.03% |
| 2012 | 90.40% | 9.60% |
| 2013 | 90.65% | 9.35% |
| 2014 | 90.07% | 9.93% |
| 2015 | 91.28% | 8.72% |
| 2016 | 90.42% | 9.58% |
| 2017 | 89.00% | 11.00% |
| 2018 | 88.84% | 11.16% |
| 2019 | 89.86% | 10.14% |
| 2020 | 88.63% | 11.37% |
| 2021 | 89.13% | 10.87% |
Material handler/forklift operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared material handler/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% |
| Material Handler/Forklift Operator | 89% | 11% |
| 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%
Material handler/forklift operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among material handler/forklift operators is White, which makes up 58.0% of all material handler/forklift operators. Comparatively, 18.2% of material handler/forklift operators are Hispanic or Latino and 16.3% of material handler/forklift operators are Black or African American.
- White, 58.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.2%
- Black or African American, 16.3%
- Unknown, 4.3%
- Asian, 2.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Material handler/forklift operator race
| Material handler/forklift operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 58.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.2% |
| Black or African American | 16.3% |
| Unknown | 4.3% |
| Asian | 2.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Material handler/forklift operator race and ethnicity over time
See how material handler/forklift operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Material handler/forklift operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 62.80% | 16.54% | 2.26% | 15.95% |
| 2011 | 61.53% | 16.50% | 2.22% | 17.44% |
| 2012 | 62.19% | 16.24% | 2.15% | 16.97% |
| 2013 | 61.80% | 15.93% | 2.33% | 17.34% |
| 2014 | 61.73% | 15.77% | 2.59% | 17.17% |
| 2015 | 63.19% | 14.49% | 2.21% | 17.60% |
| 2016 | 60.63% | 17.33% | 2.11% | 17.41% |
| 2017 | 62.17% | 15.30% | 2.30% | 17.66% |
| 2018 | 60.68% | 15.97% | 2.73% | 17.76% |
| 2019 | 63.61% | 14.60% | 2.38% | 16.53% |
| 2020 | 58.40% | 16.62% | 2.64% | 16.97% |
| 2021 | 58.05% | 16.32% | 2.35% | 18.15% |
Material handler/forklift operator wage gap by race
According to our data, asian material handler/forklift operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american material handler/forklift operators have the lowest average salary at $35,826.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $36,727 |
| White | $36,701 |
| Black or African American | $35,826 |
| Asian | $37,568 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $36,565 |
Average material handler/forklift operator age
See how the average age of material handler/forklift operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Material handler/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 |
Material handler/forklift operator age breakdown
The average age of material handler/forklift operators is 40+ years years old, representing 60% of the material handler/forklift operator population.
Material handler/forklift operator age breakdown
| Material Handler/Forklift Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 60% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Material handler/forklift operator educational attainment
The most common degree for material handler/forklift operators is high school diploma, with 59% of material handler/forklift operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are diploma degree at 15% and diploma degree at 13%.
- High School Diploma, 59%
- Diploma, 15%
- Associate, 13%
- Bachelor's, 7%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Material handler/forklift operators by degree level
| Material handler/forklift operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 59% |
| Diploma | 15% |
| Associate | 13% |
| Bachelor's | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Material handler/forklift operator jobs you might like
Material handler/forklift operator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, material handler/forklift operators with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $37,527 annually. With a High School Diploma degree, material handler/forklift operators earn a median annual income of $36,760 compared to $36,689 for material handler/forklift operators with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $36,760 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $36,689 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $37,527 |
Material handler/forklift operator employment statistics
Most material handler/forklift operators work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where material handler/forklift operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where material handler/forklift operators work.
Material handler/forklift operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 3% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 4% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 8% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 33% |
| > 10,000 employees | 45% |
Material handler/forklift operator jobs by company type
Employees with the material handler/forklift operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most material handler/forklift operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Material handler/forklift operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 45% |
| Private | 53% |
| Government | 1% |
Material handler/forklift operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for material handler/forklift operators are manufacturing, retail and transportation.
Material handler/forklift operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 23% |
| Fortune 500 | 21% |
| Retail | 12% |
| Transportation | 11% |
| Automotive | 8% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Construction | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
Material handler/forklift operator turnover and employment statistics
Material handler/forklift operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for material handler/forklift operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Material handler/forklift operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Material handler/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 material handler/forklift operator tenure
The average material handler/forklift operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 27,582 material handler/forklift operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Material handler/forklift operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 30% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
Material handler/forklift operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of material handler/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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mixer Crane Operator | 1.94% | 27,226 |
| Material Handler/Forklift Operator | 3.85% | - |
| Limb Driver | 4.13% | 36,215 |
| Cooker Cleaner | 4.59% | 47,014 |
| Dock Worker | 4.67% | 119,104 |
| Pill Packer | 6.68% | 16,035 |
| Stoneworking Belt Sander | 10.43% | 190 |
Similar material handler/forklift operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Mixer Crane Operator | 1.94% | 27,226 |
| Limb Driver | 4.13% | 36,215 |
| Cooker Cleaner | 4.59% | 47,014 |
| Dock Worker | 4.67% | 119,104 |
| Pill Packer | 6.68% | 16,035 |
| Stoneworking Belt Sander | 10.43% | 190 |
Foreign languages spoken by material handler/forklift operators
The most common foreign language among material handler/forklift operators is Spanish at 79.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 3.7% and German is the third-most popular at 3.4%.
- Spanish, 79.3%
- French, 3.7%
- German, 3.4%
- Italian, 2.2%
- Carrier, 2.2%
- Other, 9.2%
Material handler/forklift operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 79.3% |
| French | 3.7% |
| German | 3.4% |
| Italian | 2.2% |
| Carrier | 2.2% |
| Other | 9.2% |
