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Forklift truck operator salary
Average forklift truck operator salary
$16.61
Average Forklift Truck Operator Salary
The average salary for a Forklift Truck Operator in the United States is approximately $34,558 annually, or around $17 per hour. This role plays a critical part in logistics and warehouse operations, handling the safe and efficient transportation of goods.
Factors Influencing Salary
Several factors can impact a Forklift Truck Operator's salary:
- Experience Level: Entry-level operators may earn less, while those with significant experience often command higher wages.
- Location: Salaries vary widely by state and city, with urban areas typically offering better compensation.
- Industry: Certain sectors, such as manufacturing or distribution, may provide higher pay compared to others.
Highest Paying Locations
Regions with the highest demand for forklift operators, such as California and New York, offer some of the highest salaries in the field. Understanding these dynamics can help job seekers make informed decisions about their career paths.
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Where can a Forklift Truck Operator earn more?
Forklift truck operator salaries by experience level
Average forklift truck operator salary by state
The average forklift truck operator salary in Alaska, Colorado, and North Dakota are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average forklift truck operator salary states are Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for forklift truck operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $45,222 | $21.74 |
| 2 | Colorado | $42,205 | $20.29 |
| 3 | Washington | $40,011 | $19.24 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | $41,005 | $19.71 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $41,591 | $20.00 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $40,629 | $19.53 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $38,230 | $18.38 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $39,005 | $18.75 |
| 9 | Nebraska | $39,710 | $19.09 |
| 10 | Maryland | $39,537 | $19.01 |
| 11 | Virginia | $41,306 | $19.86 |
| 12 | Arizona | $36,541 | $17.57 |
| 13 | Iowa | $37,865 | $18.20 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $38,603 | $18.56 |
| 15 | California | $38,585 | $18.55 |
| 16 | New York | $41,385 | $19.90 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $36,917 | $17.75 |
| 18 | Maine | $37,446 | $18.00 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $39,239 | $18.86 |
| 20 | Idaho | $37,354 | $17.96 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $37,854 | $18.20 |
| 22 | Montana | $37,070 | $17.82 |
| 23 | Florida | $35,106 | $16.88 |
| 24 | Ohio | $34,086 | $16.39 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $36,850 | $17.72 |
| 26 | Nevada | $35,946 | $17.28 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $36,229 | $17.42 |
| 28 | Utah | $35,680 | $17.15 |
| 29 | Kansas | $34,190 | $16.44 |
| 30 | Oregon | $37,059 | $17.82 |
| 31 | Delaware | $35,740 | $17.18 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $32,863 | $15.80 |
| 33 | Missouri | $35,040 | $16.85 |
| 34 | Indiana | $33,531 | $16.12 |
| 35 | Georgia | $33,182 | $15.95 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $32,558 | $15.65 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $32,354 | $15.55 |
| 38 | New Hampshire | $35,128 | $16.89 |
| 39 | Illinois | $33,896 | $16.30 |
| 40 | Vermont | $34,075 | $16.38 |
| 41 | Connecticut | $36,288 | $17.45 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $31,785 | $15.28 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $34,083 | $16.39 |
| 44 | Texas | $33,226 | $15.97 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $32,837 | $15.79 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $30,461 | $14.64 |
| 47 | Michigan | $32,049 | $15.41 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $30,970 | $14.89 |
| 49 | Alabama | $30,467 | $14.65 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $31,515 | $15.15 |
| 51 | Tennessee | $29,215 | $14.05 |
Highest paying cities for forklift truck operators
The highest-paying cities for forklift truck operators are Allentown, PA, Menomonee Falls, WI, and Eldersburg, MD.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allentown, PA | $40,977 | $19.70 |
| 2 | Menomonee Falls, WI | $40,960 | $19.69 |
| 3 | Eldersburg, MD | $39,721 | $19.10 |
| 4 | Framingham, MA | $39,008 | $18.75 |
| 5 | Ames, IA | $37,917 | $18.23 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $37,152 | $17.86 |
| 7 | Reno, NV | $36,631 | $17.61 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $36,617 | $17.60 |
| 9 | New Brunswick, NJ | $36,143 | $17.38 |
| 10 | Jacksonville, FL | $35,326 | $16.98 |
| 11 | Kansas City, MO | $35,169 | $16.91 |
| 12 | Oak Lawn, IL | $33,898 | $16.30 |
| 13 | Indianapolis, IN | $33,376 | $16.05 |
| 14 | Plano, TX | $33,337 | $16.03 |
| 15 | Lawrenceville, GA | $33,249 | $15.99 |
| 16 | Charlotte, NC | $32,680 | $15.71 |
| 17 | Smyrna, TN | $29,252 | $14.06 |
Forklift truck operator salary details
A forklift truck operator's salary ranges from $28,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $41,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a forklift truck operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| 75th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| Average | $34,558 | $2,880 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
Highest paying forklift truck operator jobs
The highest paying types of forklift truck operators are dock worker/forklift operator, terminal operator, and truck operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forklift | $32,015 | $2,668 | $15.39 | 113,257 |
| Operator | $37,928 | $3,161 | $18.23 | 159,077 |
| Terminal Operator | $39,948 | $3,329 | $19.21 | 43,328 |
| Mill Operator | $39,045 | $3,254 | $18.77 | 64,574 |
| Cherry Picker Operator | $33,956 | $2,830 | $16.32 | 105,023 |
| Loader Operator | $36,987 | $3,082 | $17.78 | 61,980 |
Top companies hiring forklift truck operators now:
Which companies pay forklift truck operators the most?
Forklift truck operator salaries at Nestlé and Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average forklift truck operator salary at companies like Veolia Water Tech and Trane are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nestlé | $44,164 | $21.23 |
| 2 | Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co | $40,908 | $19.67 |
| 3 | Veolia Water Tech | $39,443 | $18.96 |
| 4 | Trane | $38,452 | $18.49 |
| 5 | Aramark | $36,876 | $17.73 |
| 6 | AmeriPride Services | $36,745 | $17.67 |
| 7 | Novolex | $36,268 | $17.44 |
| 8 | Quad | $34,708 | $16.69 |
| 9 | Dollar Tree | $34,700 | $16.68 |
| 10 | Veolia Environmental Services North America | $34,102 | $16.40 |
| 11 | Staffmark | $33,112 | $15.92 |
| 12 | Kelly Services | $33,003 | $15.87 |
| 13 | Adecco | $32,987 | $15.86 |
| 14 | Express Employment Indy South | $32,943 | $15.84 |
| 15 | MAU Workforce Solutions | $32,834 | $15.79 |
| 16 | Monroe Staffing | $32,711 | $15.73 |
| 17 | ManpowerGroup | $32,561 | $15.65 |
| 18 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $32,506 | $15.63 |
| 19 | R.M. Schulte & Associates | $31,698 | $15.24 |
| 20 | Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana | $28,772 | $13.83 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Forklift Truck Operator salary by industry
The average forklift truck operator salary varies across industries:
- The average forklift truck operator salary in the manufacturing industry is $39,013, the highest of any industry.
- The average forklift truck operator salary in the finance industry is $37,514.
- Forklift truck operators in the transportation industry earn an average salary of $36,921, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for forklift truck operators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $39,013 | $18.76 |
| 2 | Technology | $37,514 | $18.04 |
| 3 | Automotive | $37,256 | $17.91 |
| 4 | Transportation | $36,921 | $17.75 |
High paying forklift truck operator jobs
Forklift truck operator salary trends
The average forklift truck operator salary has risen by $6,947 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average forklift truck operator earned $27,611 annually, but today, they earn $34,558 a year. That works out to a 16% change in pay for forklift truck operators over the last decade.
Compare forklift truck operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average forklift truck operator salary over time
Compare forklift truck operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Forklift truck operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $34,600 | $16.61 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $33,300 | $16.01 | +4.0% |
| 2023 | $32,000 | $15.37 | +3.2% |
| 2022 | $30,900 | $14.88 | +3.5% |
| 2021 | $29,900 | $14.36 | +1.1% |
Recently added forklift truck operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Staffing Solutions | Forklift/Yale Truck Operator-Abel Valerio | Romeoville, IL | 06/18/2025 | $40,175 |
| International Paper Company | Forklift/Clamp Truck-2Nd Shift | Huntsville, AL | 06/13/2025 | $6,000 |
| Arandell Corporation | Clamp Truck/Forklift Operator (PM Shift) | Maple Grove, MN | 06/07/2025 | $45,914 |
| Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Kokomo | Operator-Forklift Truck Jockey | College Park, GA | 05/29/2025 | $42,348 |
| Core Mark | 2Nd Shift-Stand-Up-Reach Truck Forklift-Benefits Day 1! | Riverside, MO | 05/22/2025 | $45,914 |
| International Paper Company | Forklift/Clamp Truck | Huntsville, AL | 05/21/2025 | $6,000 |
| The Vision Companies | Reach Truck/Stand Up Forklift-2ND Shift | Otsego, MN | 05/21/2025 | $46,436 |
| Manpowergroup | 2Nd/3Rd Shift Forklift Operators-Cherrypicker/Reach Truck | Nashville, TN | 05/14/2025 | $39,653 |
| Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Kokomo | Operator-Forklift Truck Jockey | College Park, GA | 04/25/2025 | $42,348 |
| Barton Staffing Solutions | Forklift Operator-Stand Up Reach Truck *Crown (Hp#334889) | Roselle, IL | 04/25/2025 | $43,618 |
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