Show me the money...

What are typical forklift operator salaries? Do some companies pay a lot more for this position than others? What does a top earner make in this field?

What skills should you learn to increase your salary?

Unfortunately forklift operator positions, and of course I can only speak to the conditions within the area that I reside and work (Georgia), salaries have been on a steady decline over the past six years. Entry level and top out pay has been drastically reduced from what it was just in 2000. The industry, like so many has fallen victem to the influx of "illegal aliens" displacing American workers and thusly driving down wages. It's a shame but it is true. Something has to be done. Forklift operators are hard working people too and deserve to be appropriately compensated. It is a simi-skilled position that requires some talent to be a good operator but now a days operators are treated like dirt on one's shoe.

Host said: What are typical forklift operator salaries? Do some companies pay a lot more for this position than others? What does a top earner make in this field?
What skills should you learn to increase your salary?

Where i work i only get paid 7.25 and hour. And yes i think that they should pay a lil more than 7.25per hr. How to operate it!!!

i I agree with Jesse, im from minnesota looking for the last 2 months. For a new job. I was a truckloader for a nationwide company they payed nice. If you but in some time with them. But now i see. Starting out in a new on they do start u at a very low pay. Up in minnesota average starting pay is like 10-12 an hour. If u find a union corperation start at 11-14 hour an then after u get hired clims up to 15-19 hour. SO if u want big buck look for union corperations they do offer better pay and realy look out for the workers! hope that helps you out some. By the way im in the same boat too looking for a job again 8(

right on the m$ney jess--lot of these factories just want to hire south americans cause theyll accept any bullcrap wage.they dont even have osha licenses and drive like a bats out of hell crashing all over the place here in n.j.!!
osha needs to inforce having forklift licenses period so none of them run over people feet already!!

i hate to say it but in the right job you get paid a lot of money.
working 60/70 hours a week in a busy containeryard with the proper penalty rates i can save over $1000.p/w.(in australia)(1800 gross)
from memory i paid up $800. a week in taxes.
mind you people get up to all kinds of misschief in order to force you out of a job and take your shift.
this is what i,m good at and i,ll allways go back operating a container fork.