What are the main factors that influence a Forwarder Operator's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Forwarder Operator's salary?

A Forwarder Operator's salary grows with experience: a Machine Operator I (0-1 years)earns $41,934, a Forwarder Operator (1-3 years)earns $46,600, a Machine Operator III (3-5 years)earns $52,863, a Machine Operator IV (5-7 years)earns $56,836, a Machine Operator Supervisor (7+ years)earns $82,508,

What are the highest paying states for a Forwarder Operator?

Forwarder Operator salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Forwarder Operator roles are District of Columbia $51,215, California $51,021, Massachusetts $50,341. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Forwarder Operator roles make?

Salaries for Forwarder Operator level roles vary by specialization: Freight Forwarder: $88,137; Mechanized Forwarder Operator: $78,094; Operator, Assembly Operator: $55,883; Freight Forwarder Air Export: $55,753; Crane Operator: $52,044.

How do different companies affect a Forwarder Operator's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Forwarder Operator roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Forwarder Operator Salary in the United States

How much does a Forwarder Operator make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Forwarder Operator in the United States is $46,257 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $22.

However, a Forwarder Operator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $55,015
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $41,318 to $50,841
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $36,821

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Forwarder Operator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$50,841	$4,237	$978	$24
Average	$46,257	$3,855	$890	$22
25th Percentile	$41,318	$3,443	$795	$20

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Key Factors That Influence Forwarder Operator Salaries

A Forwarder Operator'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 Forwarder Operator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Forwarder Operator'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:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $41,934
Early Career (1-2 years): $46,600
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $52,863
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $56,836
Expert (over 8 years): $82,508

Levels	Salary
Machine O... Level Forwarder Operator	$41,934
Forwarder... Level Forwarder Operator	$46,600
Machine O... Level Forwarder Operator	$52,863
Machine O... Level Forwarder Operator	$56,836
Machine O... Level Forwarder Operator	$82,508

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Forwarder Operator 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 Forwarder Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $51,215.
California: $51,021.
Massachusetts: $50,341.

District of Columbia $51,215

California $51,021

Massachusetts $50,341

Washington $50,156

New Jersey $50,138

Alaska $50,073

Connecticut $49,435

New York $49,175

Hawaii $48,348

Rhode Island $47,959

Maryland $47,695

Minnesota $47,334

Colorado $47,196

Illinois $47,149

Oregon $46,974

Delaware $46,844

New Hampshire $46,763

Virginia $46,580

Pennsylvania $46,049

Nevada $45,780

North Dakota $45,692

Michigan $45,554

Wisconsin $45,503

Vermont $45,401

Texas $45,119

Maine $45,100

Arizona $45,073

Ohio $45,040

Georgia $44,615

Indiana $44,402

Wyoming $44,360

Utah $44,295

Iowa $44,268

Kansas $44,046

Louisiana $43,981

North Carolina $43,958

Missouri $43,948

Florida $43,768

Montana $43,671

Nebraska $43,578

Kentucky $43,528

South Carolina $43,343

Tennessee $43,227

Idaho $43,181

New Mexico $42,843

Oklahoma $42,769

Alabama $42,496

South Dakota $42,038

Arkansas $41,788

West Virginia $41,654

Mississippi $41,252

Top Paying Cities for Forwarder Operators

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: $58,344
San Francisco: $57,705
Oakland: $56,489

San Jose, CA $58,344

San Francisco, CA $57,705

Oakland, CA $56,489

New York, NY $53,260

Paramus, NJ $52,612

Queens Village, NY $52,610

Passaic, NJ $52,566

Bergenfield, NJ $52,561

Stamford, CT $52,460

Huntington, NY $52,441

Newark, NJ $52,099

Bridgeport, CT $52,001

Vallejo, CA $51,909

New Brunswick, NJ $51,891

Petaluma, CA $51,863

Middlesex, NJ $51,775

Somerset, NJ $51,743

Santa Cruz, CA $51,683

Boston, MA $51,400

Monterey, CA $51,238

Seattle, WA $51,132

Santa Rosa, CA $51,123

Los Angeles, CA $51,109

Juneau, AK $50,989

Washington, DC $50,938

Orange, CA $50,773

Santa Ana, CA $50,651

Long Beach, CA $50,605

Anaheim, CA $50,596

Anchorage, AK $50,572

Santa Maria, CA $50,434

Everett, WA $50,424

Danbury, CT $50,262

Bremerton, WA $50,198

Tacoma, WA $50,031

New Suffolk, NY $50,030

Sacramento, CA $50,017

Santa Barbara, CA $49,966

Trenton, NJ $49,916

San Diego, CA $49,916

Brockton, MA $49,865

Fairbanks, AK $49,751

Lompoc, CA $49,633

Lowell, MA $49,596

Ventura, CA $49,587

Nashua, NH $49,578

Stockton, CA $49,573

Modesto, CA $49,236

Poughkeepsie, NY $49,134

Olympia, WA $49,046

Kennewick, WA $49,046

New Haven, CT $49,027

Lawrence, MA $48,861

Hartford, CT $48,815

Riverside, CA $48,805

New Bedford, MA $48,759

Richland, WA $48,759

Bakersfield, CA $48,694

San Bernardino, CA $48,676

New Britain, CT $48,671

Atlantic City, NJ $48,671

New London, CT $48,653

Norwich, CT $48,639

Portsmouth, NH $48,630

Boulder, CO $48,532

Portland, OR $48,468

Worcester, MA $48,463

Minneapolis, MN $48,320

Philadelphia, PA $48,255

Honolulu, HI $48,102

Saint Paul, MN $48,080

Vineland, NJ $48,070

Providence, RI $47,936

Chicago, IL $47,802

Bellingham, WA $47,746

Springfield, MA $47,709

Baltimore, MD $47,695

Chico, CA $47,580

Pittsfield, MA $47,455

Manchester, NH $47,367

Spokane, WA $47,163

Denver, CO $47,159

Albany, NY $46,941

Troy, NY $46,923

Nassau, NY $46,873

Schenectady, NY $46,826

Wilmington, DE $46,789

Burlington, VT $46,724

Salem, OR $46,705

Portland, ME $46,562

Yakima, WA $46,516

Rochester, MN $46,372

Reno, NV $46,349

Fresno, CA $46,349

Milwaukee, WI $46,308

Detroit, MI $46,261

Ann Arbor, MI $46,253

Allentown, PA $46,247

Colorado Springs, CO $46,169

Syracuse, NY $46,146

Carson City, NV $46,146

Houston, TX $46,081

Eugene, OR $46,058

Gary, IN $46,002

Springfield, OR $45,965

Bismarck, ND $45,956

Galveston, TX $45,924

Medford, OR $45,854

Fort Collins, CO $45,836

Concord, NH $45,813

Austin, TX $45,799

Mesa, AZ $45,702

Reading, PA $45,697

Phoenix, AZ $45,692

Dallas, TX $45,678

Saint Cloud, MN $45,634

Madison, WI $45,572

Utica, NY $45,447

Rochester, NY $45,373

Des Moines, IA $45,369

Raleigh, NC $45,364

Atlanta, GA $45,295

Battle Creek, MI $45,281

Salt Lake City, UT $45,267

Lancaster, PA $45,197

Harrisburg, PA $45,133

Kansas City, MO $45,086

Champaign, IL $45,077

Kansas City, KS $45,077

Fort Worth, TX $45,073

Columbus, OH $45,065

Boca Raton, FL $45,054

Pittsburgh, PA $45,036

Richmond, VA $45,017

Indianapolis, IN $45,008

Cleveland, OH $45,003

Las Vegas, NV $44,948

Cincinnati, OH $44,948

Petersburg, VA $44,878

Huntsville, AL $44,809

Lansing, MI $44,778

Lebanon, PA $44,772

Pueblo, CO $44,767

Appleton, WI $44,753

Buffalo, NY $44,735

Dayton, OH $44,721

Racine, WI $44,712

Charlotte, NC $44,707

Saint Louis, MO $44,693

York, PA $44,665

Elkhart, IN $44,665

Gastonia, NC $44,657

Billings, MT $44,646

Beaumont, TX $44,633

Lorain, OH $44,624

Benton Harbor, MI $44,615

Toledo, OH $44,605

Binghamton, NY $44,582

Rock Hill, SC $44,578

Rockford, IL $44,554

Springfield, IL $44,536

Elyria, OH $44,531

Fargo, ND $44,531

Flagstaff, AZ $44,499

Fort Lauderdale, FL $44,471

Duluth, MN $44,443

Miami, FL $44,443

Cheyenne, WY $44,411

Grand Forks, ND $44,411

Bangor, ME $44,309

Cedar Rapids, IA $44,258

Durham, NC $44,239

Louisville, KY $44,235

Grand Rapids, MI $44,226

Hialeah, FL $44,221

Casper, WY $44,157

Scranton, PA $44,101

New Orleans, LA $44,087

Virginia Beach, VA $44,083

Akron, OH $44,060

Peoria, IL $43,999

Sarasota, FL $43,990

Nashville, TN $43,958

Omaha, NE $43,958

Green Bay, WI $43,958

Baton Rouge, LA $43,935

Charleston, SC $43,925

Jamestown, NY $43,902

Davenport, IA $43,902

Tucson, AZ $43,879

Saint Petersburg, FL $43,851

Tampa, FL $43,842

Evansville, IN $43,814

Port Arthur, TX $43,814

Bradenton, FL $43,796

Santa Fe, NM $43,713

Orlando, FL $43,629

Clearwater, FL $43,615

Canton, OH $43,518

La Crosse, WI $43,518

Albuquerque, NM $43,491

Newport News, VA $43,486

High Point, NC $43,472

Ogden, UT $43,454

Corpus Christi, TX $43,417

Norfolk, VA $43,389

Laramie, WY $43,389

Rock Island, IL $43,361

Saginaw, MI $43,352

Jacksonville, FL $43,347

Salisbury, NC $43,338

Boise, ID $43,329

Moline, IL $43,306

Fort Myers, FL $43,292

Memphis, TN $43,282

Tulsa, OK $43,259

Waterloo, IA $43,232

Spartanburg, SC $43,185

Lincoln, NE $43,162

Fort Wayne, IN $43,153

Provo, UT $43,148

Cedar Falls, IA $43,093

San Antonio, TX $43,074

Greensboro, NC $43,056

South Bend, IN $43,051

Savannah, GA $43,000

Muskegon, MI $42,982

Birmingham, AL $42,977

Winston Salem, NC $42,954

Lake Charles, LA $42,843

Anderson, IN $42,834

Lexington, KY $42,820

Augusta, GA $42,806

Greenville, SC $42,806

Lima, OH $42,769

Wichita, KS $42,764

Tuscaloosa, AL $42,764

Columbia, SC $42,723

Springfield, OH $42,713

Asheville, NC $42,639

Bloomington, IN $42,607

Knoxville, TN $42,441

Shreveport, LA $42,436

Wilmington, NC $42,376

Roanoke, VA $42,376

Topeka, KS $42,293

Frankfort, KY $42,287

Oklahoma City, OK $42,255

Chillicothe, OH $42,237

Longview, TX $42,232

Melbourne, FL $42,228

Sioux Falls, SD $42,154

Mobile, AL $42,149

Terre Haute, IN $42,131

Altoona, PA $42,103

Amarillo, TX $42,070

Killeen, TX $42,057

Fayetteville, AR $42,020

Chattanooga, TN $42,006

Sioux City, IA $41,964

Idaho Falls, ID $41,955

Lynchburg, VA $41,918

Gainesville, FL $41,858

Portsmouth, OH $41,835

Little Rock, AR $41,825

Lafayette, LA $41,807

Youngstown, OH $41,807

Daytona Beach, FL $41,779

Clarksville, TN $41,774

Pensacola, FL $41,770

Temple, TX $41,767

Hopkinsville, KY $41,631

Erie, PA $41,622

Florence, SC $41,603

Charleston, WV $41,529

Great Falls, MT $41,506

Macon, GA $41,441

Tallahassee, FL $41,437

Fayetteville, NC $41,428

Waco, TX $41,418

Helena, MT $41,386

Pine Bluff, AR $41,368

Vincennes, IN $41,312

Lubbock, TX $41,293

Alamogordo, NM $41,266

Twin Falls, ID $41,224

Rapid City, SD $41,210

Jackson, MS $41,127

Huntington, WV $41,124

Greenville, MS $41,122

Parkersburg, WV $41,075

Montgomery, AL $41,067

Wichita Falls, TX $41,020

Springfield, MO $41,020

Biloxi, MS $40,997

Monroe, LA $40,951

Johnstown, PA $40,919

Sumter, SC $40,900

Columbus, GA $40,896

Pascagoula, MS $40,808

Abilene, TX $40,808

Kingsport, TN $40,687

Albany, GA $40,687

Gulfport, MS $40,674

Alexandria, LA $40,521

Fort Smith, AR $40,405

El Paso, TX $40,280

Las Cruces, NM $40,072

Harlingen, TX $39,955

Pocatello, ID $39,947

Florence, AL $39,887

Brownsville, TX $39,878

Mcallen, TX $39,781

Dothan, AL $39,716

Columbus, MS $39,441

Altus, OK $39,226

Lawton, OK $39,138

Pierre, SD $38,971

What Skills Can Increase a Forwarder Operator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Commitment (Mentioned in 3.99% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Machine Operation (Mentioned in 3.23% Job Postings): Applying methods and techniques to implement, maintain, repair, design, and update various machines following specific rules to ensure safety.
Container (Mentioned in 2.39% Job Postings): Container is an object used for or capable of holding, esp for transport or storage, such as a carton, box, etc.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Commitment	3.99%
Machine Operation	3.23%
Container	2.39%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

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 Forwarder Operator's salary.

Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Dedication: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Analysis	$49,957	8%
Dedication	$49,495	7%
Collaboration	$48,107	4%
Leadership	$47,644	3%
Initiative	$47,644	3%
SOP	$47,182	2%

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How Education impacts a Forwarder Operator's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Forwarder Operators enter the field with a No Diploma 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 Forwarder Operator with a No Diploma is between $44,700 and $47,709).

Forwarder Operator Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Forwarder Operator

No Diploma 85.7%

High School 85.7%

Associates 9.5%

Bachelors 4.8%

Masters 0.0%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	85.7%
High School	85.7%
Associates	9.5%
Bachelors	4.8%
Masters	0.0%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

Forwarder Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Forwarder Operator'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.

Last Updated on May 01, 2026

$41,318

Average $46,257/year

$50,841

$3,443

Average $3,855/month

$4,237

$795

Average $890/week

$978

$20

Average $22/hour

$24

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$50,841	$4,237	$978	$24
Average	$46,257	$3,855	$890	$22
25th Percentile	$41,318	$3,443	$795	$20

Salaries of jobs related to Forwarder Operator

Salary Trends for Forwarder Operator

Salaries for a Forwarder Operator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $43,110 in 2023 to around $43,148 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Forwarder Operator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Forwarder Operator Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$43,110

2024

$43,266

2025

$43,148

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$43,110
2024	$43,266
2025	$43,148
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Forwarder Operator

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401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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