Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators Salary in Tennessee: $45,500 Average

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Average base salary, Tennessee

$45,500 / year

≈ $3,800 per month · $21.88 per hour

LocationOr metro area

BLS May 2025 state data for Tennessee · median $43,500

25th percentile
$39,000Average
$45,50075th percentile
$49,500

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators salary by state

Alabama$47,000

Alaska$57,000

Arizona$51,500

Arkansas$46,000

California$52,000

Colorado$55,000

Connecticut$52,500

Delaware$55,500

District of Columbia$79,500

Florida$51,500

Georgia$46,500

Hawaii$66,500

Idaho$49,500

Illinois$51,500

Indiana$49,500

Iowa$50,500

Kansas$49,500

Kentucky$51,500

Louisiana$50,500

Maine$53,500

Maryland$50,000

Massachusetts$50,000

Michigan$50,500

Minnesota$55,000

Mississippi$44,500

Missouri$49,500

Montana$52,000

Nebraska$48,500

Nevada$51,000

New Hampshire$55,500

New Jersey$51,000

New Mexico$55,000

New York$54,500

North Carolina$45,500

North Dakota$52,500

Ohio$51,500

Oklahoma$47,500

Oregon$54,000

Pennsylvania$51,500

Rhode Island$49,000

South Carolina$46,500

South Dakota$50,500

Tennessee$45,500

Texas$47,000

Utah$53,500

Vermont$51,000

Virginia$50,500

Washington$54,000

West Virginia$44,000

Wisconsin$52,000

Wyoming$60,000

About this role

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators is a professional role within the function in the Transportation and Material Moving job family.

Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

What Industrial Truck and Tractor Operatorss do

Typical education: High School Diploma

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.
Move controls to drive gasoline- or electric-powered trucks, cars, or tractors and transport materials between loading, processing, and storage areas.
Manually or mechanically load or unload materials from pallets, skids, platforms, cars, lifting devices, or other transport vehicles.
Position lifting devices under, over, or around loaded pallets, skids, or boxes and secure material or products for transport to designated areas.
Inspect product load for accuracy and safely move it around the warehouse or facility to ensure timely and complete delivery.

Top skills: Operation and Control Operations Monitoring Troubleshooting Time Management Equipment Maintenance Coordination

Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators pay by experience level

Entry level$38,000

Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)

Early career$41,500

A few years in (about the 25th percentile)

Experienced$48,000

Mid-career median pay

Senior$56,500

Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)

Top earners$64,500

Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)

Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.

Job outlook

+1.1%

projected change in jobs, 2024–2034

76,400

projected openings per year

Growing slower than average

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators salary by industry

Warehousing and Storage

286,750 workers

$52,000

Warehousing and Storage

286,750 workers

$52,000

Administrative and Support Services

70,520 workers

$41,500

Employment Services

65,460 workers

$40,500

Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods

46,880 workers

$49,500

Food Manufacturing

45,090 workers

$47,500

Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods

43,280 workers

$49,000

Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only)

34,720 workers

$48,500

Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only)

29,430 workers

$50,000

Air Transportation

24,000 workers

$58,000

National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.

How this role compares

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators pays 28% below the average across 53 roles in the Transportation and Material Moving job family (family average $69,000).

Similar-paying roles in Transportation and Material Moving

Bus Drivers, School$50,000

Light Truck Driver$50,500

Taxi Driver$51,500

Transportation Workers, All Other$52,500

Material Moving Workers, All Other$47,000

Conveyor Operators and Tenders$46,500

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$54,500

Machine Feeders and Offbearers$45,000

Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other$44,000

Bridge and Lock Tenders$57,500

Careers related to Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators

Hoist and Winch Operators$70,000

Crane and Tower Operators$74,500

Recycling and Reclamation Workers$44,000

Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining$73,500

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders$62,000

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$68,500

Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators make?

The average base salary for a Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators in the United States is $50,000 per year, or about $24.04 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $41,500 and $56,500 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Transportation and Material Moving roles?

The Transportation and Material Moving job family averages $69,000 across 53 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.

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