Forklift Operator United States
Forklift Operator salary in the US
Typical pay
$20.02an hour
About $41,600 a year at full time
Most Forklift Operators earn $18.50 to $21.50 an hour
From 464 current job postings, updated Oct 31, 2026 Pay that employers list in their job postings
The median Forklift Operator pay in the US is $20.02 an hour. Most job postings pay $18.50 to $21.50. From 464 current job postings, updated Oct 31, 2026.
5,874 open jobs. See them
Typical pay by state
Pick a state on the map or in the table to see its cities, pay and open Forklift Operator jobs.
| Washington | $23.50 | $21.21 to $25.00 | 16 |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $22.00 | $21.00 to $24.00 | 62 |
| Alabama | $21.50 | $17.00 to $22.00 | 10 |
| Colorado | $21.00 | $21.00 to $22.00 | 10 |
| Maryland | $21.00 | $20.69 to $21.00 | 10 |
| New Jersey | $21.00 | $20.67 to $22.75 | 15 |
| New York | $21.00 | $20.00 to $23.67 | 24 |
| Virginia | $21.00 | $18.00 to $23.00 | 13 |
| Wisconsin | $21.00 | $18.63 to $22.13 | 14 |
| Illinois | $20.81 | $19.47 to $23.67 | 53 |
| Kentucky | $20.50 | $19.38 to $21.00 | 13 |
| Arizona | $20.00 | $18.67 to $22.05 | 13 |
| Ohio | $20.00 | $19.38 to $21.50 | 22 |
| Texas | $20.00 | $18.50 to $21.00 | 47 |
| Georgia | $19.50 | $18.50 to $21.03 | 16 |
| Pennsylvania | $19.50 | $18.88 to $20.00 | 19 |
| Tennessee | $18.27 | $17.50 to $19.81 | 16 |
| Florida | $18.06 | $17.00 to $22.50 | 12 |
| Alaska | – | – | 0 |
| Arkansas | – | – | 2 |
| Connecticut | – | – | 4 |
| Delaware | – | – | 3 |
| District of Columbia | – | – | 2 |
| Hawaii | – | – | 1 |
| Idaho | – | – | 0 |
| Indiana | – | – | 9 |
| Iowa | – | – | 6 |
| Kansas | – | – | 0 |
| Louisiana | – | – | 3 |
| Maine | – | – | 1 |
| Massachusetts | – | – | 6 |
| Michigan | – | – | 2 |
| Minnesota | – | – | 9 |
| Mississippi | – | – | 0 |
| Missouri | – | – | 3 |
| Montana | – | – | 0 |
| Nebraska | – | – | 1 |
| Nevada | – | – | 3 |
| New Hampshire | – | – | 0 |
| New Mexico | – | – | 2 |
| North Carolina | – | – | 6 |
| North Dakota | – | – | 0 |
| Oklahoma | – | – | 4 |
| Oregon | – | – | 4 |
| Rhode Island | – | – | 1 |
| South Carolina | – | – | 6 |
| South Dakota | – | – | 0 |
| Utah | – | – | 6 |
| Vermont | – | – | 3 |
| West Virginia | – | – | 0 |
| Wyoming | – | – | 0 |
Pay advertised in current postings, per hour. Postings are those that list pay.
Pay in the biggest hiring cities
| Seattle, WA | $23.50 | $21.31 to $25.00 | 41 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside, CA | $22.00 | $21.00 to $23.44 | 109 | 28 |
| Chicago, IL | $21.00 | $20.00 to $23.50 | 311 | 46 |
| New York, NY | $21.00 | $20.39 to $22.00 | 212 | 28 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $20.00 | $18.67 to $22.05 | 152 | 13 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $19.63 | $18.00 to $24.00 | 79 | 11 |
| Dallas, TX | $19.50 | $18.50 to $21.00 | 338 | 32 |
| Atlanta, GA | – | – | 206 | 9 |
| Baltimore, MD | – | – | 63 | 9 |
| El Centro, CA | – | – | 38 | 10 |
| Houston, TX | – | – | 111 | 8 |
| Los Angeles, CA | – | – | 82 | 9 |
| Minneapolis, MN | – | – | 58 | 8 |
| Oxnard, CA | – | – | 44 | 10 |
| Santa Maria, CA | – | – | 38 | 10 |
Pay by experience level
What most job postings pay at each stage. The dot is typical pay.
- Starting out 415 job postings$18.00 $20.00
Typical: $19.00
Most new hires start near the low end.
- Experienced 16 job postings$17.39 $21.81
Typical: $20.97
- Senior 1 job postings
Not enough postings yet (we show pay once 10 postings list it)
- Lead or manager 18 job postings
Not enough postings yet (we show pay once 10 postings list it)
Where would you land?
Pick your level to see what most Forklift Operator job postings in the US pay at it.
Starting out: most postings pay $18.00 to $20.00 an hour, typically $19.00.
Most new hires start near the low end.
Upload your resume to see where you land, which employers pay above this range, and the matching open roles.
Upload your resumeYour feed already lines up the Forklift Operator roles that fit you. Open your feed
Pay by employer and level
Typical hourly pay at the employers with the most postings that list pay. A dash means fewer than 10 of their postings at that level list pay.
| Employer | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PrideStaff | $19.00 | $19.00 | – | – | – |
| 48Forty Solutions, LLC | $18.50 | $18.00 | – | – | – |
| Maersk | $20.00 | $19.00 | – | – | – |
See every employer's pay
4 more employers hiring Forklift Operator roles. Free with a Workybara account.
Sign up freeHow much does a Forklift Operator make in the US?
Employers hiring now typically offer $20.02 an hour for Forklift Operator roles in the US. These numbers come from the pay employers list in their job postings, so they show what is on offer today rather than what people earned last year. We only show a number when at least 10 postings list pay.
Build your profile to see your matches
Pay is one part of the picture. Add your experience and we line up the Forklift Operator roles that fit you.
Get started