Forklift operator salary
The national median hourly wage was $22.32 in May 2025. The median annual wage for industrial truck and tractor operators was $46,420 in May 2025.
National pay
- In May 2025 there were 774,420 industrial truck and tractor operators (forklift operators) employed nationwide. (BLS OEWS, SOC 53-7051) [src]
- The national mean (average) hourly wage was $23.25 in May 2025. (BLS OEWS, SOC 53-7051) [src]
- The national mean annual wage was $48,370 in May 2025. BLS computes it as the hourly mean times 2,080 hours (year-round, full-time). (BLS OEWS, SOC 53-7051) [src]
- The national median hourly wage was $22.32 in May 2025. (BLS OEWS, SOC 53-7051) [src]
- The median annual wage for industrial truck and tractor operators was $46,420 in May 2025. (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Material Moving Machine Operators (Pay)) [src]
- The Occupational Outlook Handbook gives a different 2025 job count, 765,200. It comes from the employment projections program, not the OEWS survey. (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Material Moving Machine Operators (Work Environment)) [src]
States with the highest employment level of industrial truck and tractor operators (top 5 as published by BLS), May 2022
| State | Employment | Mean hourly | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 103,000 | $21.94 | $45,640 |
| Texas | 88,310 | $19.40 | $40,350 |
| Georgia | 54,020 | $20.10 | $41,810 |
| Ohio | 42,030 | $21.59 | $44,910 |
| Pennsylvania | 40,700 | $20.98 | $43,630 |
Reference period May 2022. [src]
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Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wages - May 2025, Table 1. National employment and wage data by occupation (retrieved November 3, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Material Moving Machine Operators (retrieved November 3, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022: 53-7051 Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators (retrieved November 3, 2026)