Industrial truck and tractor operators salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,840 | $17.71 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $46,420 | $22.32 |
| Mean (average) | $48,370 | $23.25 |
| 90th percentile | $62,520 | $30.06 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Industrial truck and tractor operators pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $44,880 | $33,290 | $60,750 | 15,360 | 1.46 |
| Alaska | $54,190 | $37,650 | $72,720 | 410 | 0.25 |
| Arizona | $48,110 | $38,560 | $62,940 | 12,340 | 0.76 |
| Arkansas | $43,780 | $33,890 | $57,260 | 10,850 | 1.67 |
| California | $47,770 | $38,650 | $63,330 | 89,620 | 0.99 |
| Colorado | $50,570 | $40,560 | $65,630 | 8,570 | 0.6 |
| Connecticut | $47,190 | $38,790 | $71,860 | 3,780 | 0.45 |
| Delaware | $60,350 | $38,210 | $60,350 | 5,230 | 2.17 |
| District of Columbia | $83,720 | $57,050 | $83,720 | ||
| Florida | $48,370 | $37,050 | $62,960 | 38,400 | 0.78 |
| Georgia | $43,210 | $36,690 | $59,860 | 50,260 | 2.06 |
| Guam | $34,870 | $24,840 | $59,430 | 60 | 0.18 |
| Hawaii | $53,640 | $41,140 | $118,140 | 880 | 0.28 |
| Idaho | $46,600 | $36,400 | $59,840 | 2,560 | 0.6 |
| Illinois | $47,720 | $37,990 | $63,140 | 29,450 | 0.97 |
| Indiana | $45,650 | $37,250 | $61,630 | 23,090 | 1.45 |
| Iowa | $47,590 | $38,640 | $61,000 | 7,770 | 1 |
| Kansas | $47,430 | $37,910 | $58,640 | 7,700 | 1.08 |
| Kentucky | $46,630 | $35,540 | $70,840 | 11,270 | 1.13 |
| Louisiana | $48,950 | $35,980 | $61,230 | 7,680 | 0.8 |
| Maine | $47,730 | $40,440 | $64,490 | 2,900 | 0.91 |
| Maryland | $45,630 | $39,320 | $61,040 | 13,740 | 1 |
| Massachusetts | $46,850 | $39,850 | $57,410 | 8,390 | 0.46 |
| Michigan | $45,220 | $37,200 | $71,150 | 23,470 | 1.07 |
| Minnesota | $49,740 | $39,940 | $73,870 | 7,110 | 0.48 |
| Mississippi | $43,420 | $32,390 | $51,260 | 9,640 | 1.66 |
| Missouri | $45,190 | $36,240 | $64,620 | 11,470 | 0.78 |
| Montana | $48,060 | $36,450 | $64,970 | 910 | 0.36 |
| Nebraska | $46,730 | $37,020 | $59,100 | 5,020 | 0.98 |
| Nevada | $45,230 | $37,560 | $66,950 | 7,300 | 0.94 |
| New Hampshire | $54,460 | $40,600 | $62,750 | 1,450 | 0.43 |
| New Jersey | $46,100 | $36,680 | $65,820 | 21,790 | 1.02 |
| New Mexico | $62,150 | $35,900 | $65,090 | 2,620 | 0.6 |
| New York | $49,030 | $38,330 | $73,630 | 18,420 | 0.38 |
| North Carolina | $43,420 | $35,940 | $56,000 | 26,830 | 1.09 |
| North Dakota | $49,260 | $40,720 | $62,700 | 930 | 0.44 |
| Ohio | $46,450 | $37,960 | $63,660 | 42,360 | 1.53 |
| Oklahoma | $44,700 | $35,400 | $60,120 | 7,850 | 0.92 |
| Oregon | $50,760 | $40,410 | $63,150 | 8,560 | 0.87 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,730 | $38,160 | $62,510 | 42,110 | 1.39 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,090 | $22,040 | $72,790 | 3,450 | 0.74 |
| Rhode Island | $45,010 | $38,960 | $58,330 | 780 | 0.31 |
| South Carolina | $43,680 | $35,780 | $56,980 | 14,210 | 1.24 |
| South Dakota | $47,410 | $37,780 | $61,080 | 1,940 | 0.85 |
| Tennessee | $42,100 | $35,520 | $54,660 | 20,070 | 1.23 |
| Texas | $45,450 | $34,300 | $59,780 | 88,780 | 1.27 |
| Utah | $49,040 | $38,270 | $65,760 | 6,830 | 0.79 |
| Vermont | $47,380 | $39,040 | $61,290 | 950 | 0.63 |
| Virgin Islands | $35,230 | $27,190 | $52,600 | 60 | 0.38 |
| Virginia | $46,920 | $37,250 | $62,260 | 19,320 | 0.94 |
| Washington | $49,910 | $41,600 | $62,920 | 18,750 | 1.06 |
| West Virginia | $41,670 | $28,700 | $54,920 | 1,400 | 0.4 |
| Wisconsin | $47,720 | $38,960 | $62,940 | 12,150 | 0.83 |
| Wyoming | $59,820 | $38,220 | $74,160 | 790 | 0.57 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for industrial truck and tractor operators
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 64,700. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.5%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for industrial truck and tractor operators
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Forklift Operation/Operator CIP 49.0209
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Move levers or controls that operate lifting devices, such as forklifts, lift beams with swivel-hooks, hoists, or elevating platforms, to load, unload, transport, or stack material.
- Move controls to drive gasoline- or electric-powered trucks, cars, or tractors and transport materials between loading, processing, and storage areas.
- Manually or mechanically load or unload materials from pallets, skids, platforms, cars, lifting devices, or other transport vehicles.
- Position lifting devices under, over, or around loaded pallets, skids, or boxes and secure material or products for transport to designated areas.
- Inspect product load for accuracy and safely move it around the warehouse or facility to ensure timely and complete delivery.
Technology skills
- Warehouse management system WMS (in demand)
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- ATMS StockTrack PLUS
- Argos Software ABECAS Insight WMS
- BarControl Enterprise Manager iBEM
- IntelliTrack Warehouse Management System (WMS)
- Inventory management systems
- Lilly Software Associates VISUAL DCMS
- Motek Priya
- RedPrairie DLx Warehouse
- SSA Global Supply Chain Management
Transferable skills for career changers: Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Coordination, Equipment Maintenance, Troubleshooting, Time Management.
Common job titles: Checker Loader, Fork Lift Technician, Fork Truck Driver, Forklift Driver, Forklift Operator, Lift Truck Operator, Shag Truck Driver, Spotter Driver, Tow Motor Operator, Truck Driver.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do industrial truck and tractor operators make?
The national median annual wage for industrial truck and tractor operators was $46,420 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $36,840 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $62,520. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do industrial truck and tractor operators need?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is industrial truck and tractor operators a growing career?
BLS projects employment of industrial truck and tractor operators to change +1.5% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 64,700 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay industrial truck and tractor operators the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($83,720), New Mexico ($62,150), Delaware ($60,350). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.