The average salary for a fork lift operator in California is around $35,460 per year.
Avg Salary
Fork lift operators earn an average yearly salary of $35,460.
Wages typically start from $25,810 and go up to $56,080.
49% below national average Updated in 2018
Fork lift operator earnings by seniority
Top-level fork lift operator earnings begin at:
$26.96 per hour
$56,080 per year
Senior-level fork lift operator earnings begin at:
$21.84 per hour
$45,420 per year
Mid-level fork lift operator earnings begin at:
$17.05 per hour
$35,460 per year
Junior-level fork lift operator earnings begin at:
$13.95 per hour
$29,020 per year
Starting level fork lift operator earnings begin at:
$12.41 per hour
$25,810 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Fork lift operator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $53,340 |
| District of Columbia | $53,250 |
| Hawaii | $45,460 |
| New Hampshire | $42,510 |
| Delaware | $40,780 |
| Connecticut | $40,778 |
| Washington | $40,570 |
| Minnesota | $39,990 |
| New York | $39,220 |
| North Dakota | $38,880 |
| Vermont | $37,980 |
| Maryland | $37,820 |
| Rhode Island | $37,770 |
| West Virginia | $37,770 |
| Massachusetts | $37,480 |
| New Mexico | $37,450 |
| Iowa | $37,331 |
| Wisconsin | $37,320 |
| Montana | $37,110 |
| Wyoming | $36,930 |
| Virginia | $36,550 |
| Oregon | $36,490 |
| Kansas | $36,440 |
| Nevada | $36,020 |
| Maine | $35,670 |
| Illinois | $35,561 |
| Ohio | $35,490 |
| California | $35,460 |
| Michigan | $35,370 |
| Colorado | $35,180 |
| Idaho | $35,020 |
| Florida | $34,750 |
| Louisiana | $34,700 |
| South Dakota | $34,560 |
| Georgia | $34,480 |
| Oklahoma | $34,470 |
| Missouri | $34,110 |
| New Jersey | $33,900 |
| Utah | $33,810 |
| North Carolina | $33,200 |
| Arizona | $33,141 |
| Alabama | $32,840 |
| Nebraska | $32,730 |
| Indiana | $32,696 |
| Kentucky | $32,462 |
| South Carolina | $32,240 |
| Arkansas | $32,227 |
| Texas | $32,210 |
| Tennessee | $31,810 |
| Mississippi | $30,850 |
| Pennsylvania | $29,311 |
| Guam | $27,680 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $24,870 |
| Puerto Rico | $19,070 |
How do fork lift operator salaries compare to similar careers?
Fork lift operators earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than precious metal workers but more than molding and casting workers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Precious metal worker salary | $38K |
| Gem worker salary | $38K |
| Machine assembler salary | $37K |
| Log grader salary | $41K |
| Drill press operator salary | $35K |
| Fork lift operator salary | $35K |
| Furniture finisher salary | $35K |
| Cabinetmaker salary | $34K |
| Stone cutter salary | $34K |
| Molding and casting worker salary | $34K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)