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Lift truck operator salary
Average lift truck operator salary
$36,973
The average lift truck operator salary stands at $36,973 per year, or around $18 per hour. Factors influencing this salary include geographic location, years of experience, and specific industry sector. For instance, operators in states like California and New York often earn higher wages due to the cost of living and demand for skilled labor.
As operators gain experience, they can expect salary increases; entry-level positions typically start lower, while seasoned professionals can command significantly higher pay. In addition, various certifications can enhance job prospects and earning potential, making professional development beneficial.
Opportunities for growth are abundant within this field, with many operators advancing to supervisory or managerial roles over time. Additionally, companies across the logistics and warehousing sectors actively seek qualified lift truck operators, offering a range of job opportunities nationwide.
For those considering a career as a lift truck operator, understanding the salary landscape and the potential for career advancement is crucial. Job seekers can find valuable resources and job listings on platforms like Zippia, which provide insights into salaries and job opportunities specific to their location and experience level.
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Where can a Lift Truck Operator earn more?
Lift truck operator salaries by experience level
Lift truck operator salary estimates from across the web
Average lift truck operator salary by state
The average lift truck operator salary in Alaska, North Dakota, and Maine are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average lift truck operator salary states are Oklahoma, Texas, and Alabama.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for lift truck operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $44,681 | $21.48 |
| 2 | Alaska | $46,574 | $22.39 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $41,888 | $20.14 |
| 4 | Iowa | $41,293 | $19.85 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $40,359 | $19.40 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $41,884 | $20.14 |
| 7 | Maine | $42,609 | $20.49 |
| 8 | New York | $40,425 | $19.44 |
| 9 | Illinois | $39,239 | $18.86 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $41,202 | $19.81 |
| 11 | South Dakota | $39,834 | $19.15 |
| 12 | Nevada | $37,986 | $18.26 |
| 13 | Oregon | $42,416 | $20.39 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $40,987 | $19.71 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $38,522 | $18.52 |
| 16 | Idaho | $39,455 | $18.97 |
| 17 | Ohio | $36,263 | $17.43 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $41,985 | $20.19 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $40,295 | $19.37 |
| 20 | Arizona | $37,531 | $18.04 |
| 21 | Colorado | $38,684 | $18.60 |
| 22 | Kansas | $37,345 | $17.95 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $36,554 | $17.57 |
| 24 | Utah | $39,071 | $18.78 |
| 25 | Missouri | $38,417 | $18.47 |
| 26 | Indiana | $36,394 | $17.50 |
| 27 | Washington | $40,623 | $19.53 |
| 28 | Delaware | $38,454 | $18.49 |
| 29 | California | $36,938 | $17.76 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $35,935 | $17.28 |
| 31 | Michigan | $37,174 | $17.87 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $36,214 | $17.41 |
| 33 | West Virginia | $35,023 | $16.84 |
| 34 | Maryland | $38,816 | $18.66 |
| 35 | Vermont | $35,734 | $17.18 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $33,498 | $16.10 |
| 37 | Montana | $37,142 | $17.86 |
| 38 | New Hampshire | $36,081 | $17.35 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $33,154 | $15.94 |
| 40 | Florida | $32,828 | $15.78 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $31,493 | $15.14 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $34,757 | $16.71 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $33,505 | $16.11 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $35,506 | $17.07 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $30,827 | $14.82 |
| 46 | Virginia | $35,999 | $17.31 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $32,671 | $15.71 |
| 48 | Connecticut | $35,821 | $17.22 |
| 49 | Georgia | $30,161 | $14.50 |
| 50 | Alabama | $31,734 | $15.26 |
| 51 | Texas | $32,443 | $15.60 |
Highest paying cities for lift truck operators
The highest-paying cities for lift truck operators are Springfield, OR, Watertown Town, MA, and Kent, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Springfield, OR | $42,342 | $20.36 |
| 2 | Watertown Town, MA | $41,883 | $20.14 |
| 3 | Kent, WA | $40,651 | $19.54 |
| 4 | Rock Island, IL | $38,944 | $18.72 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $38,777 | $18.64 |
| 6 | Wentzville, MO | $38,504 | $18.51 |
| 7 | Lancaster, PA | $38,358 | $18.44 |
| 8 | Stockton, CA | $38,269 | $18.40 |
| 9 | Phoenix, AZ | $37,630 | $18.09 |
| 10 | Winchester, VA | $37,590 | $18.07 |
| 11 | Lenexa, KS | $37,503 | $18.03 |
| 12 | Columbus, OH | $35,840 | $17.23 |
| 13 | Thomasville, NC | $33,631 | $16.17 |
| 14 | Coppell, TX | $32,713 | $15.73 |
| 15 | Columbia, SC | $30,859 | $14.84 |
| 16 | Dalton, GA | $30,412 | $14.62 |
Lift truck operator salary details
A lift truck operator's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $46,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a lift truck operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| 75th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| Average | $36,973 | $3,081 | $18 |
| 25th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying lift truck operator jobs
The highest paying types of lift truck operators are dock worker/forklift operator, terminal operator, and truck operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Machine Operator/Forklift Operator | $32,452 | $2,704 | $15.60 | 120,073 |
| Forklift Driver | $33,476 | $2,790 | $16.09 | 116,516 |
| Warehouse Machine Operator | $33,796 | $2,816 | $16.25 | 229,051 |
| Material Handler/Forklift Operator | $36,453 | $3,038 | $17.53 | 168,379 |
| Truck Loader | $34,749 | $2,896 | $16.71 | 100,059 |
| Lift Driver | $34,457 | $2,871 | $16.57 | 72,334 |
Top companies hiring lift truck operators now:
Which companies pay lift truck operators the most?
Lift truck operator salaries at Nestlé and Cemex are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average lift truck operator salary at companies like Morton Buildings and McKee Foods are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nestlé | $46,243 | $22.23 |
| 2 | Cemex | $44,048 | $21.18 |
| 3 | Morton Buildings | $43,586 | $20.95 |
| 4 | McKee Foods | $42,850 | $20.60 |
| 5 | Post Holdings | $42,822 | $20.59 |
| 6 | Lamb Weston | $42,731 | $20.54 |
| 7 | Constellation Brands | $42,662 | $20.51 |
| 8 | General Mills | $42,424 | $20.40 |
| 9 | Nor-Cal Beverage Co. | $42,136 | $20.26 |
| 10 | Shaw Industries | $42,068 | $20.23 |
| 11 | Ring Power Cat | $41,718 | $20.06 |
| 12 | VF | $41,606 | $20.00 |
| 13 | Rosboro | $41,176 | $19.80 |
| 14 | International Paper | $41,172 | $19.79 |
| 15 | Mohawk Industries | $40,652 | $19.54 |
| 16 | Timberland | $40,104 | $19.28 |
| 17 | Graphic Packaging International | $39,704 | $19.09 |
| 18 | Weyerhaeuser International, Inc | $39,601 | $19.04 |
| 19 | Kingspan Group | $39,396 | $18.94 |
| 20 | WestRock | $39,213 | $18.85 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Lift Truck Operator salary by industry
The average lift truck operator salary varies across industries:
- The average lift truck operator salary in the finance industry is $40,524, the highest of any industry.
- The average lift truck operator salary in the finance industry is $39,180.
- Lift truck operators in the retail industry earn an average salary of $36,129, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for lift truck operators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $40,524 | $19.48 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $39,180 | $18.84 |
| 3 | Transportation | $37,508 | $18.03 |
| 4 | Retail | $36,129 | $17.37 |
High paying lift truck operator jobs
Lift truck operator salary trends
The average lift truck operator salary has risen by $7,432 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average lift truck operator earned $29,541 annually, but today, they earn $36,973 a year. That works out to a 16% change in pay for lift truck operators over the last decade.
Compare lift truck operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average lift truck operator salary over time
Compare lift truck operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Lift truck operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $37,000 | $17.78 | +3.6% |
| 2025 | $35,600 | $17.13 | +4.0% |
| 2024 | $34,200 | $16.45 | +3.2% |
| 2023 | $33,100 | $15.92 | +3.5% |
| 2022 | $32,000 | $15.36 | +1.1% |
Recently added lift truck operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pactiv Evergreen Inc. | Lift Truck Operator | Santa Fe Springs, CA | 06/29/2025 | $41,657 |
| Mathis Home | Lift Truck Operator OKC) | Oklahoma City, OK | 06/29/2025 | $33,392 |
| Wm Bolthouse Farms Inc. | Lift Truck Operator | Hodgkins, IL | 06/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Marazzi Group | Lift Truck Operator I (D Shift) | El Paso, TX | 06/28/2025 | $36,815 |
| Mohawk Industries | Lift Truck Operator I (D Shift) | El Paso, TX | 06/27/2025 | $36,815 |
| Silgan Containers | Lift Truck Operator | Modesto, CA | 06/27/2025 | $54,700 |
| Dal-Tile Corporation | Lift Truck Operator I (D Shift) | El Paso, TX | 06/26/2025 | $36,815 |
| Parker Global Strategies | Warehouse Worker-Lift Truck Operator-1St. Shift | Bridgeton, MO | 06/26/2025 | $41,657 |
| Parker Global Strategies | Warehouse Worker-Lift Truck Operator-3Rd Shift | Findlay, OH | 06/26/2025 | $42,825 |
| Shaw Industries Inc. | Lift Truck Operator-2Nd Shift | Cranbury, NJ | 06/25/2025 | $57,142 |
Lift truck operator salary FAQs
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