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Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators Salary
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators earn a median $46,420 a year in the U.S., with 774,420 jobs (May 2025).
- Median wage
- $46,420 a year
- Employment
- 774,420
- Excludes self-employed
- Projected growth
- +1.5%
- 2025 to 2035
- Openings per year
- 64,700
- Average, including replacements
Pay range nationally
The middle half of workers earn between the 25th and 75th percentile (shaded)
- Median (50%)
- $46,420 · $22.32 an hour
- Mean (average)
- $48,370 · $23.25 an hour (estimate error ±0.1%)
- 10th percentile
- $36,840 · $17.71 an hour
- 25th percentile
- $40,030 · $19.24 an hour
- 75th percentile
- $54,770 · $26.33 an hour
- 90th percentile
- $62,520 · $30.06 an hour
- Employment
- 774,420 (estimate error ±0.7%)
What they do
Standard Occupational Classification definition
Operate industrial trucks or tractors equipped to move materials around a warehouse, storage yard, factory, construction site, or similar location. Excludes “Logging Equipment Operators” (45-4022).
Job outlook
BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035
- Jobs in 2025
- 765,200
- Projected for 2035
- 776,300
- Change
- +11,100 (+1.5%)
- Openings each year
- 64,700
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- 0.5%
Occupational Outlook Handbook (duties, how to become one, work environment)
Highest paying states
Median wage for this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | State | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $83,720 | Not reported |
| 2 | New Mexico | $62,150 | 2,620 |
| 3 | Delaware | $60,350 | 5,230 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $59,820 | 790 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $54,460 | 1,450 |
| 6 | Alaska | $54,190 | 410 |
| 7 | Hawaii | $53,640 | 880 |
| 8 | Oregon | $50,760 | 8,560 |
| 9 | Colorado | $50,570 | 8,570 |
| 10 | Washington | $49,910 | 18,750 |
States with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| State | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| California | 89,620 | $47,770 |
| Texas | 88,780 | $45,450 |
| Georgia | 50,260 | $43,210 |
| Ohio | 42,360 | $46,450 |
| Pennsylvania | 42,110 | $47,730 |
| Florida | 38,400 | $48,370 |
| Illinois | 29,450 | $47,720 |
| North Carolina | 26,830 | $43,420 |
| Michigan | 23,470 | $45,220 |
| Indiana | 23,090 | $45,650 |
Highest paying metro areas
Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation
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| # | Metro area | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flint, MI | $78,530 | 1,020 |
| 2 | Cheyenne, WY | $62,520 | 360 |
| 3 | Vallejo, CA | $62,460 | 1,070 |
| 4 | Albuquerque, NM | $62,150 | 1,940 |
| 5 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $59,850 | 530 |
| 6 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $59,240 | 7,530 |
| 7 | Anchorage, AK | $58,910 | 230 |
| 8 | Kenosha, WI | $58,110 | 1,300 |
| 9 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $57,140 | 670 |
| 10 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $57,000 | 410 |
| 11 | Modesto, CA | $55,810 | 2,350 |
| 12 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $55,680 | 480 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Metro area | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 34,650 | $47,230 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 28,750 | $44,710 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 24,720 | $46,930 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 24,180 | $47,850 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 22,320 | $47,950 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 22,170 | $46,600 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 20,910 | $45,990 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 15,670 | $49,260 |
| Columbus, OH | 11,910 | $46,780 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 10,370 | $46,550 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 10,250 | $48,770 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 10,110 | $55,600 |
Visa filings for this occupation
Wages employers offered on Department of Labor filings
- PERM green card (FY 2026 through Q3)9 certified filingsMedian offered wage $58,540
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators pay by state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Guam
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Related occupations
- Conveyor Operators and Tenders
- Crane and Tower Operators
- Dredge Operators
- Hoist and Winch Operators
- Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
- Machine Feeders and Offbearers
- Packers and Packagers, Hand
- Stockers and Order Fillers
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
- Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
- Wellhead Pumpers
Frequently asked questions
- How much do industrial truck and tractor operators make?
- The median wage for industrial truck and tractor operators in the U.S. is $46,420 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $40,030 and $54,770.
- Which state pays industrial truck and tractor operators the most?
- District of Columbia has the highest median wage for this occupation at $83,720 a year.
- What is the job outlook for industrial truck and tractor operators?
- BLS projects employment to grow 1.5% from 2025 to 2035, with about 64,700 openings each year on average.
- What education do industrial truck and tractor operators need?
- The typical entry-level education is: no formal educational credential.