The average salary for a forklift operator in Pennsylvania is around $47,730 per year.
Avg Salary
Forklift operators earn an average yearly salary of $47,730.
Wages typically start from $38,160 and go up to $62,510.
30% below national average Updated in 2025
Forklift operator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level forklift operator earnings begin at:
$30.05 per hour
$62,510 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level forklift operator earnings begin at:
$27.72 per hour
$57,650 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level forklift operator earnings begin at:
$22.95 per hour
$47,730 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level forklift operator earnings begin at:
$20.72 per hour
$43,090 per year
10th percentile
Starting level forklift operator earnings begin at:
$18.35 per hour
$38,160 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Forklift 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 |
| 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 Pennsylvania. On average, they make less than machine assemblers but more than printing workers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Machine assembler salary | $52K |
| Quarry rock splitter salary | $49K |
| Cabinetmaker salary | $48K |
| Highway maintenance worker salary | $48K |
| Drill press operator salary | $46K |
| Forklift operator salary | $48K |
| Furniture finisher salary | $47K |
| Extraction worker salary | $48K |
| Wellhead pumper salary | $45K |
| Printing worker salary | $47K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)