The average salary for a forklift operator in California is around $38,980 per year.
Avg Salary
Forklift operators earn an average yearly salary of $38,980.
Wages typically start from $32,960 and go up to $58,180.
45% below national average Updated in 2021
Forklift operator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level forklift operator earnings begin at:
$27.97 per hour
$58,180 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level forklift operator earnings begin at:
$22.71 per hour
$47,230 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level forklift operator earnings begin at:
$18.74 per hour
$38,980 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level forklift operator earnings begin at:
$17.83 per hour
$37,080 per year
10th percentile
Starting level forklift operator earnings begin at:
$15.85 per hour
$32,960 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Forklift operator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $58,640 |
| District of Columbia | $55,380 |
| Alaska | $48,980 |
| Montana | $48,790 |
| Delaware | $48,550 |
| Wyoming | $48,550 |
| Rhode Island | $47,050 |
| New Hampshire | $46,550 |
| Minnesota | $46,010 |
| Wisconsin | $43,110 |
| Maryland | $42,450 |
| Oregon | $40,350 |
| Illinois | $39,580 |
| Colorado | $39,160 |
| Connecticut | $39,160 |
| New York | $39,160 |
| Washington | $39,010 |
| California | $38,980 |
| Michigan | $38,980 |
| Vermont | $38,980 |
| New Jersey | $38,710 |
| Utah | $38,710 |
| Massachusetts | $38,640 |
| Arizona | $38,550 |
| North Dakota | $38,500 |
| Ohio | $38,500 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,500 |
| Virginia | $38,500 |
| New Mexico | $38,380 |
| South Dakota | $38,380 |
| Maine | $38,340 |
| Missouri | $38,340 |
| Nevada | $38,320 |
| Florida | $38,300 |
| Iowa | $38,280 |
| Indiana | $38,280 |
| Louisiana | $38,200 |
| Kentucky | $38,080 |
| Oklahoma | $38,080 |
| Kansas | $37,960 |
| Georgia | $37,900 |
| West Virginia | $37,880 |
| Idaho | $37,620 |
| North Carolina | $37,620 |
| Nebraska | $37,620 |
| Texas | $37,200 |
| Alabama | $36,360 |
| Arkansas | $36,360 |
| South Carolina | $36,360 |
| Tennessee | $36,360 |
| Mississippi | $34,210 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $28,820 |
| Guam | $25,860 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,920 |
How do forklift operator salaries compare to similar careers?
Forklift operators earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than log graders but more than machine feeders.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Log grader salary | $46K |
| Cabinetmaker salary | $39K |
| Molding and casting worker salary | $44K |
| Stone cutter salary | $44K |
| Printing worker salary | $39K |
| Forklift operator salary | $39K |
| Professional painter salary | $39K |
| Shoemaker salary | $38K |
| Furniture finisher salary | $38K |
| Machine feeder salary | $39K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)