How much does a Forklift Trainer make in the United States?
As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Forklift Trainer in the United States is $44,195 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $21.
However, a Forklift Trainer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $51,308
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $40,370 to $47,918
Key Factors That Influence Forklift Trainer Salaries
A Forklift Trainer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Forklift Trainer Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Forklift Trainer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
How Do Forklift Trainer Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Forklift Trainers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $55,743
San Francisco: $55,133
Oakland: $53,971
San Jose, CA$55,743
San Francisco, CA$55,133
Oakland, CA$53,971
New York, NY$50,886
Paramus, NJ$50,267
Queens Village, NY$50,265
Passaic, NJ$50,223
Bergenfield, NJ$50,219
Stamford, CT$50,122
Huntington, NY$50,104
Newark, NJ$49,777
Bridgeport, CT$49,684
Vallejo, CA$49,596
New Brunswick, NJ$49,578
Petaluma, CA$49,552
Middlesex, NJ$49,468
Somerset, NJ$49,437
Santa Cruz, CA$49,379
Boston, MA$49,110
Monterey, CA$48,955
Seattle, WA$48,853
Santa Rosa, CA$48,845
Los Angeles, CA$48,831
Juneau, AK$48,716
Washington, DC$48,668
Orange, CA$48,510
Santa Ana, CA$48,394
Long Beach, CA$48,350
Anaheim, CA$48,341
Anchorage, AK$48,319
Santa Maria, CA$48,186
Everett, WA$48,177
Danbury, CT$48,022
Bremerton, WA$47,961
Tacoma, WA$47,802
New Suffolk, NY$47,801
Sacramento, CA$47,788
Santa Barbara, CA$47,740
Trenton, NJ$47,691
San Diego, CA$47,691
Brockton, MA$47,642
Fairbanks, AK$47,534
Lompoc, CA$47,421
Lowell, MA$47,386
Ventura, CA$47,377
Nashua, NH$47,368
Stockton, CA$47,364
Modesto, CA$47,041
Poughkeepsie, NY$46,944
Olympia, WA$46,860
Kennewick, WA$46,860
New Haven, CT$46,842
Lawrence, MA$46,683
Hartford, CT$46,639
Riverside, CA$46,630
New Bedford, MA$46,586
Richland, WA$46,586
Bakersfield, CA$46,524
San Bernardino, CA$46,507
New Britain, CT$46,502
Atlantic City, NJ$46,502
New London, CT$46,485
Norwich, CT$46,471
Portsmouth, NH$46,462
Boulder, CO$46,369
Portland, OR$46,308
Worcester, MA$46,303
Minneapolis, MN$46,166
Philadelphia, PA$46,104
Honolulu, HI$45,959
Saint Paul, MN$45,937
Vineland, NJ$45,928
Providence, RI$45,799
Chicago, IL$45,671
Bellingham, WA$45,618
Springfield, MA$45,583
Baltimore, MD$45,570
Chico, CA$45,459
Pittsfield, MA$45,340
Manchester, NH$45,256
Spokane, WA$45,061
Denver, CO$45,057
Albany, NY$44,849
Troy, NY$44,832
Nassau, NY$44,784
Schenectady, NY$44,739
Wilmington, DE$44,703
Burlington, VT$44,642
Salem, OR$44,624
Portland, ME$44,487
Yakima, WA$44,443
Rochester, MN$44,306
Reno, NV$44,284
Fresno, CA$44,284
Milwaukee, WI$44,244
Detroit, MI$44,200
Ann Arbor, MI$44,192
Allentown, PA$44,186
Colorado Springs, CO$44,111
Syracuse, NY$44,089
Carson City, NV$44,089
Houston, TX$44,027
Eugene, OR$44,005
Gary, IN$43,952
Springfield, OR$43,917
Bismarck, ND$43,908
Galveston, TX$43,877
Medford, OR$43,811
Fort Collins, CO$43,793
Concord, NH$43,771
Austin, TX$43,758
Mesa, AZ$43,665
Reading, PA$43,660
Phoenix, AZ$43,656
Dallas, TX$43,643
Saint Cloud, MN$43,600
Madison, WI$43,541
Utica, NY$43,422
Rochester, NY$43,351
Des Moines, IA$43,347
Raleigh, NC$43,342
Atlanta, GA$43,276
Battle Creek, MI$43,263
Salt Lake City, UT$43,249
Lancaster, PA$43,183
Harrisburg, PA$43,121
Kansas City, MO$43,077
Champaign, IL$43,068
Kansas City, KS$43,068
Fort Worth, TX$43,064
Columbus, OH$43,056
Boca Raton, FL$43,046
Pittsburgh, PA$43,028
Richmond, VA$43,011
Indianapolis, IN$43,002
Cleveland, OH$42,998
Las Vegas, NV$42,944
Cincinnati, OH$42,944
Petersburg, VA$42,878
Huntsville, AL$42,812
Lansing, MI$42,782
Lebanon, PA$42,777
Pueblo, CO$42,772
Appleton, WI$42,759
Buffalo, NY$42,741
Dayton, OH$42,728
Racine, WI$42,719
Charlotte, NC$42,715
Saint Louis, MO$42,701
York, PA$42,675
Elkhart, IN$42,675
Gastonia, NC$42,666
Billings, MT$42,656
Beaumont, TX$42,644
Lorain, OH$42,635
Benton Harbor, MI$42,626
Toledo, OH$42,617
Binghamton, NY$42,595
Rock Hill, SC$42,591
Rockford, IL$42,569
Springfield, IL$42,551
Elyria, OH$42,547
Fargo, ND$42,547
Flagstaff, AZ$42,516
Fort Lauderdale, FL$42,489
Duluth, MN$42,463
Miami, FL$42,463
Cheyenne, WY$42,432
Grand Forks, ND$42,432
Bangor, ME$42,335
Cedar Rapids, IA$42,286
Durham, NC$42,267
Louisville, KY$42,264
Grand Rapids, MI$42,255
Hialeah, FL$42,251
Casper, WY$42,189
Scranton, PA$42,136
New Orleans, LA$42,122
Virginia Beach, VA$42,118
Akron, OH$42,096
Peoria, IL$42,038
Sarasota, FL$42,030
Nashville, TN$41,999
Omaha, NE$41,999
Green Bay, WI$41,999
Baton Rouge, LA$41,977
Charleston, SC$41,968
Jamestown, NY$41,946
Davenport, IA$41,946
Tucson, AZ$41,924
Saint Petersburg, FL$41,897
Tampa, FL$41,888
Evansville, IN$41,862
Port Arthur, TX$41,862
Bradenton, FL$41,844
Santa Fe, NM$41,764
Orlando, FL$41,685
Clearwater, FL$41,672
Canton, OH$41,579
La Crosse, WI$41,579
Albuquerque, NM$41,552
Newport News, VA$41,548
High Point, NC$41,535
Ogden, UT$41,517
Corpus Christi, TX$41,482
Norfolk, VA$41,455
Laramie, WY$41,455
Rock Island, IL$41,429
Saginaw, MI$41,420
Jacksonville, FL$41,415
Salisbury, NC$41,406
Boise, ID$41,398
Moline, IL$41,376
Fort Myers, FL$41,362
Memphis, TN$41,353
Tulsa, OK$41,331
Waterloo, IA$41,305
Spartanburg, SC$41,261
Lincoln, NE$41,239
Fort Wayne, IN$41,230
Provo, UT$41,225
Cedar Falls, IA$41,172
San Antonio, TX$41,155
Greensboro, NC$41,137
South Bend, IN$41,132
Savannah, GA$41,084
Muskegon, MI$41,066
Birmingham, AL$41,062
Winston Salem, NC$41,040
Lake Charles, LA$40,934
Anderson, IN$40,925
Lexington, KY$40,911
Augusta, GA$40,898
Greenville, SC$40,898
Lima, OH$40,863
Wichita, KS$40,858
Tuscaloosa, AL$40,858
Columbia, SC$40,819
Springfield, OH$40,810
Asheville, NC$40,739
Bloomington, IN$40,708
Knoxville, TN$40,549
Shreveport, LA$40,545
Wilmington, NC$40,487
Roanoke, VA$40,487
Topeka, KS$40,408
Frankfort, KY$40,403
Oklahoma City, OK$40,372
Chillicothe, OH$40,355
Longview, TX$40,350
Melbourne, FL$40,346
Sioux Falls, SD$40,275
Mobile, AL$40,271
Terre Haute, IN$40,253
Altoona, PA$40,226
Amarillo, TX$40,196
Killeen, TX$40,182
Fayetteville, AR$40,147
Chattanooga, TN$40,134
Sioux City, IA$40,094
Idaho Falls, ID$40,085
Lynchburg, VA$40,050
Gainesville, FL$39,992
Portsmouth, OH$39,970
Little Rock, AR$39,961
Lafayette, LA$39,944
Youngstown, OH$39,944
Daytona Beach, FL$39,917
Clarksville, TN$39,913
Pensacola, FL$39,908
Temple, TX$39,905
Hopkinsville, KY$39,776
Erie, PA$39,767
Florence, SC$39,749
Charleston, WV$39,678
Great Falls, MT$39,656
Macon, GA$39,594
Tallahassee, FL$39,590
Fayetteville, NC$39,581
Waco, TX$39,572
Helena, MT$39,541
Pine Bluff, AR$39,525
Vincennes, IN$39,471
Lubbock, TX$39,453
Alamogordo, NM$39,427
Twin Falls, ID$39,387
Rapid City, SD$39,374
Jackson, MS$39,294
Huntington, WV$39,291
Greenville, MS$39,290
Parkersburg, WV$39,244
Montgomery, AL$39,236
Wichita Falls, TX$39,192
Springfield, MO$39,192
Biloxi, MS$39,170
Monroe, LA$39,126
Johnstown, PA$39,095
Sumter, SC$39,077
Columbus, GA$39,073
Pascagoula, MS$38,989
Abilene, TX$38,989
Kingsport, TN$38,874
Albany, GA$38,874
Gulfport, MS$38,861
Alexandria, LA$38,715
Fort Smith, AR$38,605
El Paso, TX$38,485
Las Cruces, NM$38,286
Harlingen, TX$38,174
Pocatello, ID$38,167
Florence, AL$38,110
Brownsville, TX$38,101
Mcallen, TX$38,008
Dothan, AL$37,946
Columbus, MS$37,683
Altus, OK$37,478
Lawton, OK$37,394
Pierre, SD$37,234
What Skills Can Increase a Forklift Trainer's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Attention to Detail (Mentioned in 5.41% Job Postings): Executing and completing a task with a high level of accuracy.
Container (Mentioned in 4.03% Job Postings): Container is an object used for or capable of holding, esp for transport or storage, such as a carton, box, etc.
Shipping and Receiving (Mentioned in 1.93% Job Postings): Managing and maintaining records of all products shipped and received to ensure the correct filing of orders.
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Forklift Trainer's salary.
Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Products and Services: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Equipment Operation: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Forklift Trainer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Forklift Trainer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 43% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Aerospace & Defense
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average.
In contrast, Forklift Trainer positions in Transportation or MFG Nondurable typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Forklift Trainer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Forklift Trainer
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities
$53,034
$25.0
20%
Aerospace & Defense
$49,499
$24.0
12%
Pharmaceuticals
$48,615
$23.0
10%
Software & Networking
$48,615
$23.0
10%
Construction
$47,731
$23.0
8%
How Education impacts a Forklift Trainer's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Forklift Trainers enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Forklift Trainer with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between
$40,353
and $42,714).
Forklift Trainer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Forklift Trainer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Salaries for a Forklift Trainer can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $46,443 in 2023
to around $46,080 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Forklift Trainer salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Forklift Trainer Over Time
$???
$46,443
$46,325
$46,080
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$46,443
2024
$46,325
2025
$46,080
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Forklift Trainer
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Forklift Trainer
Here are companies hiring for Forklift Trainer and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
Find Your Next Forklift Trainer Job
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Forklift Trainer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
For Employees
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Get a Salary Increase
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
Search Job Openings
For Employers
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Adjust Employee Salary
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
Price My Industry Jobs
FAQ about Forklift Trainer
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Forklift Trainer?
The Energy & Utilities industry offers the highest average compensation for Forklift Trainer roles,
with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
