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Reach truck operator salary
Average reach truck operator salary
$16.65
Understanding the Salary of a Reach Truck Operator
As of October 2025, a Reach Truck Operator can expect an average salary of $34,625 annually, equating to about $17 per hour. This salary can vary based on factors such as location, experience, and the specific industry sector. For instance, operators in states like California and New York often see higher wages due to the cost of living and demand for skilled labor.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level positions may start around $30,000, while seasoned operators boast salaries exceeding $40,000. Gaining additional certifications or experience in logistics can significantly enhance earning potential. Many operators find opportunities in sectors like retail and manufacturing, which often offer competitive salaries and benefits.
Where to Find Higher Paying Jobs
Regions with significant warehouse operations, such as metropolitan areas, tend to present better pay and job security. Websites like Zippia can help you navigate available positions, providing insights into companies actively hiring Reach Truck Operators and their respective salary ranges. Explore these options to maximize your career potential.
Let Zippia find your next reach truck operator job
Let Zippia find your next reach truck operator job
Where can a Reach Truck Operator earn more?
Reach truck operator salaries by experience level
Reach truck operator salary estimates from across the web
Average reach truck operator salary by state
The average reach truck operator salary in Alaska, North Dakota, and Minnesota are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average reach truck operator salary states are North Carolina, Florida, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for reach truck operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $44,131 | $21.22 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $41,665 | $20.03 |
| 3 | Washington | $37,890 | $18.22 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $37,912 | $18.23 |
| 5 | Iowa | $38,108 | $18.32 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $37,230 | $17.90 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $40,381 | $19.41 |
| 8 | Maine | $39,321 | $18.90 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $38,103 | $18.32 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $37,459 | $18.01 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $38,953 | $18.73 |
| 12 | Kansas | $36,151 | $17.38 |
| 13 | Colorado | $36,424 | $17.51 |
| 14 | Oregon | $39,710 | $19.09 |
| 15 | Ohio | $35,499 | $17.07 |
| 16 | South Dakota | $36,639 | $17.61 |
| 17 | Illinois | $35,817 | $17.22 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $39,243 | $18.87 |
| 19 | Arizona | $34,776 | $16.72 |
| 20 | Idaho | $37,061 | $17.82 |
| 21 | Maryland | $36,766 | $17.68 |
| 22 | Indiana | $35,329 | $16.99 |
| 23 | Michigan | $35,832 | $17.23 |
| 24 | New Jersey | $35,871 | $17.25 |
| 25 | California | $35,428 | $17.03 |
| 26 | Nevada | $35,995 | $17.31 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $33,761 | $16.23 |
| 28 | Delaware | $35,645 | $17.14 |
| 29 | New York | $37,735 | $18.14 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $33,470 | $16.09 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $33,932 | $16.31 |
| 32 | Utah | $35,176 | $16.91 |
| 33 | West Virginia | $32,850 | $15.79 |
| 34 | Missouri | $34,341 | $16.51 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $32,097 | $15.43 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $33,489 | $16.10 |
| 37 | Montana | $34,516 | $16.59 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $33,376 | $16.05 |
| 39 | Georgia | $32,607 | $15.68 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $33,907 | $16.30 |
| 41 | Connecticut | $35,697 | $17.16 |
| 42 | Florida | $31,643 | $15.21 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $31,620 | $15.20 |
| 44 | Vermont | $32,935 | $15.83 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $30,453 | $14.64 |
| 46 | Texas | $32,244 | $15.50 |
| 47 | New Hampshire | $33,169 | $15.95 |
| 48 | Virginia | $33,456 | $16.08 |
| 49 | North Carolina | $31,794 | $15.29 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $30,747 | $14.78 |
| 51 | Alabama | $30,462 | $14.65 |
Highest paying cities for reach truck operators
The highest-paying cities for reach truck operators are Philadelphia, PA, Union City, CA, and Des Plaines, IL.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia, PA | $37,440 | $18.00 |
| 2 | Union City, CA | $36,066 | $17.34 |
| 3 | Des Plaines, IL | $35,986 | $17.30 |
| 4 | Sayreville, NJ | $35,842 | $17.23 |
| 5 | Wyandotte, MI | $35,753 | $17.19 |
| 6 | Indianapolis, IN | $35,144 | $16.90 |
| 7 | Columbus, OH | $35,095 | $16.87 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $34,850 | $16.75 |
| 9 | Liberty, MO | $34,467 | $16.57 |
| 10 | Dalton, GA | $32,863 | $15.80 |
| 11 | Fort Worth, TX | $32,298 | $15.53 |
| 12 | Lebanon, TN | $32,234 | $15.50 |
| 13 | Jacksonville, FL | $31,841 | $15.31 |
| 14 | Charlotte, NC | $31,684 | $15.23 |
| 15 | Olive Branch, MS | $30,764 | $14.79 |
Reach truck operator salary details
A reach truck operator's salary ranges from $28,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $42,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a reach truck operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 75th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| Average | $34,625 | $2,885 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
Highest paying reach truck operator jobs
The highest paying types of reach 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 |
| Forklift Driver | $33,476 | $2,790 | $16.09 | 116,516 |
| Machine Operator/Forklift Operator | $32,452 | $2,704 | $15.60 | 120,073 |
| Material Handler/Forklift Operator | $36,453 | $3,038 | $17.53 | 168,379 |
| Lift Operator | $32,309 | $2,692 | $15.53 | 72,445 |
| Mill Operator | $39,045 | $3,254 | $18.77 | 64,574 |
Top companies hiring reach truck operators now:
Which companies pay reach truck operators the most?
Reach truck operator salaries at United Natural Foods and US Foods are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average reach truck operator salary at companies like Vulcan Materials and Tri-Star Construction, Inc. are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United Natural Foods | $43,108 | $20.73 |
| 2 | US Foods | $41,928 | $20.16 |
| 3 | Vulcan Materials | $40,756 | $19.59 |
| 4 | Tri-Star Construction, Inc. | $40,292 | $19.37 |
| 5 | Masco | $39,997 | $19.23 |
| 6 | Ferrara Candy | $39,858 | $19.16 |
| 7 | Chewy | $39,507 | $18.99 |
| 8 | Teasdale Foods | $38,749 | $18.63 |
| 9 | BJ's Wholesale Club | $38,609 | $18.56 |
| 10 | Murray | $38,544 | $18.53 |
| 11 | VisionCorp Rep | $38,441 | $18.48 |
| 12 | Stanley Black & Decker | $38,328 | $18.43 |
| 13 | Medline | $37,948 | $18.24 |
| 14 | Dollar General | $37,912 | $18.23 |
| 15 | Parker Global Strategies | $37,848 | $18.20 |
| 16 | Generac Holdings | $37,744 | $18.15 |
| 17 | KeHE | $37,732 | $18.14 |
| 18 | Sysco | $37,501 | $18.03 |
| 19 | CVS Health | $37,493 | $18.03 |
| 20 | FedEx | $37,403 | $17.98 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Reach Truck Operator salary by industry
The average reach truck operator salary varies across industries:
- The average reach truck operator salary in the manufacturing industry is $37,961, the highest of any industry.
- The average reach truck operator salary in the finance industry is $37,521.
- Reach truck operators in the energy industry earn an average salary of $32,580, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for reach truck operators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $37,961 | $18.25 |
| 2 | Retail | $37,521 | $18.04 |
| 3 | Technology | $37,410 | $17.99 |
| 4 | Transportation | $36,266 | $17.44 |
| 5 | Professional | $33,182 | $15.95 |
| 6 | Energy | $32,580 | $15.66 |
High paying reach truck operator jobs
Reach truck operator salary trends
The average reach truck operator salary has risen by $6,960 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average reach truck operator earned $27,665 annually, but today, they earn $34,625 a year. That works out to a 16% change in pay for reach truck operators over the last decade.
Compare reach truck operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average reach truck operator salary over time
Compare reach truck operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Reach truck operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $34,600 | $16.65 | +3.6% |
| 2025 | $33,400 | $16.04 | +4.0% |
| 2024 | $32,000 | $15.40 | +3.2% |
| 2023 | $31,000 | $14.91 | +3.5% |
| 2022 | $29,900 | $14.39 | +1.1% |
Recently added reach truck operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dollar Tree | Weekend-Night Shift-Reach Truck Forklift Operator | Cowpens, SC | 06/29/2025 | $39,653 |
| Kelly Services | Reach Truck Operator | Joliet, IL | 06/28/2025 | $40,697 |
| Aerotek | Reach Truck Operator | Carteret, NJ | 06/28/2025 | $41,740 |
| Aerotek | Reach Truck Operator | Medley, FL | 06/28/2025 | $35,479 |
| Essity Aktiebolag (Publ | Reach Truck Operator | Bordentown, NJ | 06/28/2025 | $37,566 |
| Aerotek | Reach Truck Operator | Baltimore, MD | 06/27/2025 | $37,566 |
| Kane Logistics | Mhe3, Reach Operator | Allentown, PA | 06/27/2025 | $40,697 |
| Petco Animal Supplies Inc. | Reach Operator (5Am-130Pm M-F) | Mira Loma, CA | 06/27/2025 | $39,653 |
| Penske | Warehouse Worker-Reach Truck Operator-2Nd Shift | Grand Prairie, TX | 06/26/2025 | $44,286 |
| Mount Family Group, Ltd. | Reach Truck Woburn/Winchester | Lowell, MA | 06/26/2025 | $38,610 |
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