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Forklift Operator

Forklift Operator

F-06

F Other From other fields jobs · Start level · O*NET 53-7051.00

Texas median
whole occupation, 2025
$45,450
work over
40 h a week
74%
load index
from O*NET data
2.9/5
Texas jobs
2024 to 2034
+23.6%

Pay

This level's pay

No published pay record names this level: no public record found in sources S1-S7 that names this rung. The occupation-wide figure below is for all experience levels.

Whole occupation: all Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators, Texas
BLS OEWS May 2025
  • Series OEUS480000000000053705113 (median), Texas, May 2025, read 2026-10-03
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Base pay (straight-time, excludes overtime).
  • Based on an estimated 88,780 jobs in Texas (series OEUS480000000000053705101).

Half of all Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators in Texas earn more than $45,450; the bottom 10% earned less than $34,300 and the top 10% more than $59,780 (May 2025, base pay, about 88,780 jobs). U.S. median $46,420.

Outlook 2024 to 2034, all Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators, not level-specific
TWC, BLS

Texas
+23.6% jobs · about 13,250 openings a year (102,320 jobs in 2024)
United States
+1.1% jobs · about 76,400 openings a year (792,500 jobs in 2024)

Openings include people retiring or changing jobs, not only growth.

Hours
O*NET 31.0
  • Duration of Typical Work Week (4.C.3.d.8), O*NET Work Context, data 08/2021, n = 17 respondents, O*NET OnLine

About 3 in 4 work more than 40 hours a week (74%).

Schedule: regular 59% · irregular 41% · seasonal 0%

Physical load 2.9 of 5, our index from O*NET
Method
  • Engineer Tsai index (et_physical_v1): mean of a body index (2.72, 6 measures) and an exposure index (2.99, 7 measures), built from O*NET Work Context means, 1 to 5: Spend Time Standing; Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles; Spend Time Walking or Running; Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling; Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance; Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body; Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions; Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures; Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions; Exposed to High Places; Exposed to Hazardous Conditions; Exposed to Hazardous Equipment; Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection.
  • O*NET OnLine

Body

  • Standing3.69
  • Bending or twisting3.63
  • Walking or running2.96
  • Keeping balance2.66
  • Kneeling or crawling2.02
  • Climbing ladders1.34

Exposure

  • Very hot or cold4.43
  • Outdoors, all weather3.55
  • Hazardous equipment3.29
  • Cramped space2.96
  • Protective gear2.72
  • High places2.01
  • Hazardous conditions1.95
Body 2.72 · exposure 2.99. O*NET Work Context means, 1 = never, 5 = continually or every day.

Getting in

Degree
0% hold a bachelor's or higher; most common: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Preparation
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Why this level
Starting point outside the electrical field (feeder).

Moves to the side 3

  • E Biomass Plant Technician Entry station closest in skills: skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.77. License: depends on the work.
  • B Boilermaker Entry station closest in skills: skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.77. License gate: not checked yet.
  • R Electromechanical Assembler Entry station closest in skills: skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.75.
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What the work is 5 core tasks

Operate industrial trucks or tractors equipped to move materials around a warehouse, storage yard, factory, construction site, or similar location.

  1. Move levers or controls that operate lifting devices, such as forklifts, lift beams with swivel-hooks, hoists, or elevating platforms, to load, unload, transport, or stack material.
  2. Move controls to drive gasoline- or electric-powered trucks, cars, or tractors and transport materials between loading, processing, and storage areas.
  3. Manually or mechanically load or unload materials from pallets, skids, platforms, cars, lifting devices, or other transport vehicles.
  4. Position lifting devices under, over, or around loaded pallets, skids, or boxes and secure material or products for transport to designated areas.
  5. Inspect product load for accuracy and safely move it around the warehouse or facility to ensure timely and complete delivery.

Core tasks ranked by O*NET task Importance (IM, 1-5), top 6.

Top skills

  • Operation and Control
  • Operations Monitoring
  • Coordination
  • Equipment Maintenance
  • Time Management
  • Troubleshooting
  • Active Listening
  • Reading Comprehension
Sources (4)

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Engineer Tsai has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 · O*NET license

Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Base pay; excludes overtime. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034 (United States) and Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections 2024-2034, read through Projections Central.

On the line

F Other From other fields jobs

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  14. Warehouse Worker$37,540 a year Texas median, all levels, 2025StartChange: I B E
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Not a licensed Professional Engineer in Texas or any U.S. state. Does not offer engineering services. Exam-prep education only.