The average salary for a fork lift operator in Illinois is around $47,720 per year.
Avg Salary
Fork lift operators earn an average yearly salary of $47,720.
Wages typically start from $37,990 and go up to $63,140.
33% below national average Updated in 2025
Fork lift operator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level fork lift operator earnings begin at:
$30.36 per hour
$63,140 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level fork lift operator earnings begin at:
$27.67 per hour
$57,550 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level fork lift operator earnings begin at:
$22.94 per hour
$47,720 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level fork lift operator earnings begin at:
$20.60 per hour
$42,850 per year
10th percentile
Starting level fork lift operator earnings begin at:
$18.26 per hour
$37,990 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 Illinois. On average, they make less than cabinetmakers but more than sewing machine operators.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Cabinetmaker salary | $50K |
| Pipelayer salary | $50K |
| Drill press operator salary | $57K |
| Machine assembler salary | $50K |
| Fork lift operator salary | $48K |
| Molding and casting worker salary | $47K |
| Stone cutter salary | $47K |
| Furniture finisher salary | $48K |
| Metal worker salary | $46K |
| Sewing machine operator salary | $36K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)