Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$36,840
- 25th Percentile — Junior$40,030
- 50th Percentile — Median$46,420
- 75th Percentile — Senior$54,770
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$62,520
The top 10% of Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators earn $62,520 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $36,840, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $76,770 | +58.7% |
| Hawaii | $64,460 | +33.3% |
| Wyoming | $57,810 | +19.5% |
| Alaska | $55,310 | +14.3% |
| New Hampshire | $53,490 | +10.6% |
| Delaware | $53,480 | +10.6% |
| New Mexico | $53,290 | +10.2% |
| Colorado | $53,190 | +10.0% |
| Minnesota | $53,070 | +9.7% |
| New York | $52,860 | +9.3% |
| Washington | $52,360 | +8.2% |
| Oregon | $52,160 | +7.8% |
| Utah | $51,920 | +7.3% |
| Maine | $51,710 | +6.9% |
| Connecticut | $50,940 | +5.3% |
| North Dakota | $50,920 | +5.3% |
| California | $50,360 | +4.1% |
| Montana | $50,140 | +3.7% |
| Wisconsin | $50,110 | +3.6% |
| Arizona | $49,820 | +3.0% |
| Ohio | $49,800 | +3.0% |
| Pennsylvania | $49,760 | +2.9% |
| Florida | $49,740 | +2.8% |
| Kentucky | $49,630 | +2.6% |
| Illinois | $49,550 | +2.4% |
| Vermont | $49,410 | +2.2% |
| New Jersey | $49,290 | +1.9% |
| Nevada | $49,070 | +1.4% |
| Iowa | $48,870 | +1.0% |
| Michigan | $48,860 | +1.0% |
| Virginia | $48,810 | +0.9% |
| Louisiana | $48,790 | +0.9% |
| South Dakota | $48,730 | +0.7% |
| Maryland | $48,330 | -0.1% |
| Massachusetts | $48,190 | -0.4% |
| Idaho | $48,020 | -0.7% |
| Kansas | $47,980 | -0.8% |
| Missouri | $47,970 | -0.8% |
| Indiana | $47,600 | -1.6% |
| Rhode Island | $47,410 | -2.0% |
| Nebraska | $47,090 | -2.6% |
| Oklahoma | $45,950 | -5.0% |
| Alabama | $45,540 | -5.9% |
| Texas | $45,400 | -6.1% |
| Georgia | $45,070 | -6.8% |
| South Carolina | $45,010 | -6.9% |
| Arkansas | $44,290 | -8.4% |
| North Carolina | $43,960 | -9.1% |
| Tennessee | $43,860 | -9.3% |
| Mississippi | $42,860 | -11.4% |
| West Virginia | $42,360 | -12.4% |
What Factors Affect Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: District of Columbia pays an average of $76,770, while West Virginia pays $42,360 — a gap of $34,410 per year.
The middle half of Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators earn between $40,030 and $54,770 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $36,840, while the top 10% earn more than $62,520.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
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- Commercial Pilots $146,080/yr United States +202.0% vs this role
- Air Traffic Controllers $146,490/yr United States +202.9% vs this role
- Light Truck Drivers $48,770/yr United States +0.8% vs this role
- Driver Sales Workers $40,730/yr United States 15.8% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +109.7% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +183.9% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators?
The average salary for Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators in the United States is $48,370 per year, with a median of $46,420.
What is the starting salary for Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators?
Entry-level Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators typically earn between $36,840 and $40,030 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators the most?
District of Columbia pays Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators the most at $76,770 per year on average, followed by Hawaii ($64,460) and Wyoming ($57,810).
How much do Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $48,370, Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators earn approximately $23.25 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 774,420 Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $48,370 and a median of $46,420 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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