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Salary Guides / Virginia
Forklift Operator Salary in Virginia
Virginia employee wage ranges for forklift work, with national sector benchmarks and questions about shifts, duties and overtime.
What Forklift Operators Earn in Virginia
Virginia employee wages span $17.91–$29.93/hr, or $37,250–$62,260 a year, for Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators. The occupation includes forklift work across industries. These figures exclude premium pay and benefits. Match an offer to its truck types, loading duties and schedule. Ask which hours the quoted range covers and how shift premiums apply. The experience bands organize wage comparisons and do not describe Virginia licenses or automatic promotions.
Hourly rates by level in Virginia
What each rung of the trade is paid, before overtime and per diem.
Where do you stand?
Enter your hourly rate to see how it compares to other forklift operators in Virginia.
What are you making?
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Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.
You're right around the middle
$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.
Calculate pay with extra credentials
Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.
1Your level
2Certifications you hold
3Shift & work type
4Overtime & per diem
An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.
Who pays the most in Virginia
Warehouses, building supply yards and commercial builders give operators different loads and ground. Use these national figures to frame questions about Virginia vacancies.
Warehousing and Storage
Storage facilities move palletized goods between racks and trailers. Ask about picking duties, pedestrian traffic and the shifts covering deliveries.
Nonresidential Building Construction
Commercial building sites need materials positioned around active crews. Discuss ground conditions, telehandler assignments and travel between projects when comparing offers.
Building Material and Supplies Dealers
Lumber yards and building supply stores load contractor orders of lumber, drywall and block onto flatbeds. Ask about yard surfaces, weather and weekend hours.
Which states pay forklift operators the most
Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.
What each certification is worth
Sorted by payback speed.
| Certification | Rate bump | Extra / year | Cost | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IUOE Local 77 Operating Engineer Apprenticeship (journeyperson) | +$2.14 | $4,451 | $0 | 0 weeks |
| OSHA 10-Hour General Industry | +$0.15 | $312 | $59 | 10 weeks |
| OSHA 10-Hour Construction | +$0.15 | $312 | $59 | 10 weeks |
| Forklift / Rough-Terrain Forklift Operator (formal instruction) | +$0.04 | $83 | $59 | 37 weeks |
| Aerial/Scissor Lift (MEWP) Operator | +$0.04 | $83 | $59 | 37 weeks |
| American Red Cross Adult First Aid/CPR/AED | +$0.05 | $104 | $102 | 51 weeks |
What overtime actually adds
Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $22.56/hr.
Questions workers ask
Is my pre-shift forklift inspection paid time?▾
Does an operating engineer apprenticeship raise pay as I progress?▾
Will a long forklift shift qualify for overtime?▾
See Open Forklift Operator Jobs in Virginia
Verified positions matching this trade and location.
Current BLS Virginia employee wages for Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators, SOC 53-7051; includes forklift operators, excludes premium pay and benefits.
Last updated October 27, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.