The average salary for a fork lift operator in South Dakota is around $34,560 per year.
Avg Salary
Fork lift operators earn an average yearly salary of $34,560.
Wages typically start from $26,720 and go up to $46,570.
43% below national average Updated in 2018
Fork lift operator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level fork lift operator earnings begin at:
$22.39 per hour
$46,570 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level fork lift operator earnings begin at:
$18.97 per hour
$39,460 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level fork lift operator earnings begin at:
$16.61 per hour
$34,560 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level fork lift operator earnings begin at:
$14.33 per hour
$29,800 per year
10th percentile
Starting level fork lift operator earnings begin at:
$12.85 per hour
$26,720 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 South Dakota. On average, they make less than chemical technicians but more than metal workers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Chemical technician salary | $34K |
| Carpenter salary | $35K |
| Tile and marble setter salary | $35K |
| Drill press operator salary | $34K |
| Machine assembler salary | $35K |
| Fork lift operator salary | $35K |
| Construction painter salary | $33K |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installer salary | $33K |
| Hand polishing worker salary | $33K |
| Metal worker salary | $31K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)