The average salary for a fork lift operator in California is around $47,770 per year.
Avg Salary
Fork lift operators earn an average yearly salary of $47,770.
Wages typically start from $38,650 and go up to $63,330.
38% below national average Updated in 2025
Fork lift operator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level fork lift operator earnings begin at:
$30.45 per hour
$63,330 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level fork lift operator earnings begin at:
$28.06 per hour
$58,360 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level fork lift operator earnings begin at:
$22.97 per hour
$47,770 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level fork lift operator earnings begin at:
$20.77 per hour
$43,210 per year
10th percentile
Starting level fork lift operator earnings begin at:
$18.58 per hour
$38,650 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Fork lift operator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $83,720 |
| New Mexico | $62,150 |
| Delaware | $60,350 |
| Wyoming | $59,820 |
| New Hampshire | $54,460 |
| Alaska | $54,190 |
| Hawaii | $53,640 |
| Oregon | $50,760 |
| Colorado | $50,570 |
| Washington | $49,910 |
| Minnesota | $49,740 |
| North Dakota | $49,260 |
| Utah | $49,040 |
| New York | $49,030 |
| Louisiana | $48,950 |
| Florida | $48,370 |
| Arizona | $48,110 |
| Montana | $48,060 |
| California | $47,770 |
| Maine | $47,730 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,730 |
| Illinois | $47,720 |
| Wisconsin | $47,720 |
| Iowa | $47,590 |
| Kansas | $47,430 |
| South Dakota | $47,410 |
| Vermont | $47,380 |
| Connecticut | $47,190 |
| Virginia | $46,920 |
| Massachusetts | $46,850 |
| Nebraska | $46,730 |
| Kentucky | $46,630 |
| Idaho | $46,600 |
| Ohio | $46,450 |
| New Jersey | $46,100 |
| Indiana | $45,650 |
| Maryland | $45,630 |
| Texas | $45,450 |
| Nevada | $45,230 |
| Michigan | $45,220 |
| Missouri | $45,190 |
| Rhode Island | $45,010 |
| Alabama | $44,880 |
| Oklahoma | $44,700 |
| Arkansas | $43,780 |
| South Carolina | $43,680 |
| Mississippi | $43,420 |
| North Carolina | $43,420 |
| Georgia | $43,210 |
| Tennessee | $42,100 |
| West Virginia | $41,670 |
| 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 machine assemblers but more than machine feeders.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Machine assembler salary | $47K |
| Drill press operator salary | $49K |
| Stone cutter salary | $49K |
| Molding and casting worker salary | $49K |
| Furniture finisher salary | $49K |
| Fork lift operator salary | $48K |
| Metal worker salary | $47K |
| Hand polishing worker salary | $44K |
| Metal caster salary | $44K |
| Machine feeder salary | $40K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)