SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 53-7051.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $36,840 | $3,070 | $708 | $17.71 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $40,030 | $3,336 | $770 | $19.24 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $46,420 | $3,868 | $893 | $22.32 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $54,770 | $4,564 | $1,053 | $26.33 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $62,520 | $5,210 | $1,202 | $30.06 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators is $46,420, which is 9% lower. Among the 50 occupations of the field Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks number 32 by median pay. With 774,420 jobs, it makes up about 50 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($83,720), New Mexico ($62,150) and Delaware ($60,350). The lowest was in Guam ($34,870), Virgin Islands ($35,230) and Puerto Rico ($36,090). The most jobs were in California (89,620), Texas (88,780) and Georgia (50,260). The occupation is most concentrated in Delaware, where its share of all jobs is 2.2 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | not published | $83,720 | $76,770 | $40.25 |
| New Mexico | 2,620 | $62,150 | $53,290 | $29.88 |
| Delaware | 5,230 | $60,350 | $53,480 | $29.02 |
| Wyoming | 790 | $59,820 | $57,810 | $28.76 |
| New Hampshire | 1,450 | $54,460 | $53,490 | $26.19 |
| Alaska | 410 | $54,190 | $55,310 | $26.05 |
| Hawaii | 880 | $53,640 | $64,460 | $25.79 |
| Oregon | 8,560 | $50,760 | $52,160 | $24.40 |
| Colorado | 8,570 | $50,570 | $53,190 | $24.31 |
| Washington | 18,750 | $49,910 | $52,360 | $24.00 |
| Minnesota | 7,110 | $49,740 | $53,070 | $23.91 |
| North Dakota | 930 | $49,260 | $50,920 | $23.68 |
| Utah | 6,830 | $49,040 | $51,920 | $23.58 |
| New York | 18,420 | $49,030 | $52,860 | $23.57 |
| Louisiana | 7,680 | $48,950 | $48,790 | $23.54 |
| Florida | 38,400 | $48,370 | $49,740 | $23.25 |
| Arizona | 12,340 | $48,110 | $49,820 | $23.13 |
| Montana | 910 | $48,060 | $50,140 | $23.10 |
| California | 89,620 | $47,770 | $50,360 | $22.97 |
| Maine | 2,900 | $47,730 | $51,710 | $22.95 |
| Pennsylvania | 42,110 | $47,730 | $49,760 | $22.95 |
| Illinois | 29,450 | $47,720 | $49,550 | $22.94 |
| Wisconsin | 12,150 | $47,720 | $50,110 | $22.94 |
| Iowa | 7,770 | $47,590 | $48,870 | $22.88 |
| Kansas | 7,700 | $47,430 | $47,980 | $22.80 |
| South Dakota | 1,940 | $47,410 | $48,730 | $22.79 |
| Vermont | 950 | $47,380 | $49,410 | $22.78 |
| Connecticut | 3,780 | $47,190 | $50,940 | $22.69 |
| Virginia | 19,320 | $46,920 | $48,810 | $22.56 |
| Massachusetts | 8,390 | $46,850 | $48,190 | $22.52 |
| Nebraska | 5,020 | $46,730 | $47,090 | $22.46 |
| Kentucky | 11,270 | $46,630 | $49,630 | $22.42 |
| Idaho | 2,560 | $46,600 | $48,020 | $22.40 |
| Ohio | 42,360 | $46,450 | $49,800 | $22.33 |
| New Jersey | 21,790 | $46,100 | $49,290 | $22.16 |
| Indiana | 23,090 | $45,650 | $47,600 | $21.95 |
| Maryland | 13,740 | $45,630 | $48,330 | $21.94 |
| Texas | 88,780 | $45,450 | $45,400 | $21.85 |
| Nevada | 7,300 | $45,230 | $49,070 | $21.75 |
| Michigan | 23,470 | $45,220 | $48,860 | $21.74 |
| Missouri | 11,470 | $45,190 | $47,970 | $21.73 |
| Rhode Island | 780 | $45,010 | $47,410 | $21.64 |
| Alabama | 15,360 | $44,880 | $45,540 | $21.58 |
| Oklahoma | 7,850 | $44,700 | $45,950 | $21.49 |
| Arkansas | 10,850 | $43,780 | $44,290 | $21.05 |
| South Carolina | 14,210 | $43,680 | $45,010 | $21.00 |
| Mississippi | 9,640 | $43,420 | $42,860 | $20.88 |
| North Carolina | 26,830 | $43,420 | $43,960 | $20.88 |
| Georgia | 50,260 | $43,210 | $45,070 | $20.78 |
| Tennessee | 20,070 | $42,100 | $43,860 | $20.24 |
| West Virginia | 1,400 | $41,670 | $42,360 | $20.03 |
| Puerto Rico | 3,450 | $36,090 | $42,780 | $17.35 |
| Virgin Islands | 60 | $35,230 | $37,720 | $16.94 |
| Guam | 60 | $34,870 | $39,620 | $16.76 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Dredge Operators$49,640 a year
- Bus Drivers, School$47,920 a year
- Motorboat Operators$47,520 a year
- Transportation Workers, All Other$45,650 a year
- Light Truck Drivers$44,860 a year
- Conveyor Operators and Tenders$42,420 a year
Common questions
How much do Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators earn in the United States?
The median pay was $46,420 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,840 and the highest-paid 10% more than $62,520.
How many people work as Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators?
About 774,420 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.