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forklift operation

What forklift operation Majors Need to Know

Studies in forklift operation emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that forklift operation graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in forklift operation emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Mathematics — Importance 3.0 / 5; level 2.7 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 2.8 / 5; level 2.6 / 7.
• Production and Processing — Importance 2.8 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Transportation — Importance 2.8 / 5; level 2.0 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 2.5 / 5; level 2.4 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a forklift operation program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Operation and Control — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.
• Time Management — Importance 3 / 5; level 2.2 / 7.
• Coordination — Importance 3 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Troubleshooting — Importance 3 / 5; level 2.5 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to forklift operation careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Control Precision — Importance 4 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Multilimb Coordination — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Far Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Response Orientation — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Manual Dexterity — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, forklift operation graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment	4.5 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.4 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	4.4 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Performing General Physical Activities	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7
Getting Information	3.8 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.8 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by forklift operation professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Inventory management software	Inventory management software	—
SSA Global Supply Chain Management	Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software	—
ATMS StockTrack PLUS	Inventory management software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Argos Software ABECAS Insight WMS	Inventory management software	—
IntelliTrack Warehouse Management System (WMS)	Inventory management software	—
Motek Priya	Inventory management software	—
BarControl Enterprise Manager iBEM	Inventory management software	—
Symphony GOLD	Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software	—
Lilly Software Associates VISUAL DCMS	Inventory management software	—
Inventory management systems	Inventory management software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for forklift operation graduates include:

• Stacker Operator
• Lumber Carrier Operator
• Fork Operator
• Skidder Driver
• Electric Trucker
• Larry Operator
• High Lift Mule Operator
• Forklift Technician
• Hi Low Truck Driver
• Lift Driver
• CAT Tender (Caterpillar Tender)
• Hyster Machine Operator
• Uke Operator
• Reach-Lift Truck Driver
• High Lift Driver

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to forklift operation graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	73.4%
Less than a high school diploma	22.5%
Some college courses	4.0%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in forklift operation?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 90.4% of forklift operation degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	19	9.6%
Men	178	90.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of forklift operation graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	18	9.1%
Asian	2	1.0%
Hispanic or Latino	26	13.2%
Black or African American	127	64.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.5%
Two or More Races	7	3.6%
Race Unknown	15	7.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do forklift operation Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of forklift operation graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$43,832
4 years	$42,430
5 years	$45,687

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $45,687 — roughly 4% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in forklift operation Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, forklift operation graduates earn a median of $42,430 four years after completion — roughly 12% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Ground Transportation	22,968
Truck and Bus Driver/Commercial Vehicle Operator and Instructor	21,399
Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation	1,131
Ground Transportation, Other	163
Railroad and Railway Transportation	78
Flagging and Traffic Control	—
Mobil Crane Operator/Operation	—

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.