Average Warehouse Forklift Operator Salary in Maryland, United States for 2025

In this article, we will look at the average Warehouse Forklift Operator salary for 2025 in Maryland and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the United States dollar. To keep things simple, we are using the USD currency code instead of the currency symbol $.

How Much Does a Warehouse Forklift Operator Make in Maryland?

A Warehouse Forklift Operator working in Maryland will typically earn around 31,300 USD per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 13,500 USD to the highest average salary of 46,300 USD.

Average Annual Salary31,300 USD
Average Monthly Salary2,608 USD
Average Lowest Salary13,500 USD
Lowest Monthly Salary1,125 USD
Average Highest Salary46,300 USD
Highest Monthly Salary3,858 USD

These are average salaries for a Warehouse Forklift Operator in Maryland and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Warehouse Forklift Operator to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Warehouse Forklift Operator salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Warehouse Forklift Operator Salaries in Maryland

So we've looked at the average salaries a Warehouse Forklift Operator will earn in Maryland. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that a Warehouse Forklift Operator can earn between 13,500 USD and 46,300 USD on average in Maryland. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for a Warehouse Forklift Operator in Maryland is 27,200 USD. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 27,200 USD, and 50% of the population earn more than 27,200 USD.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Warehouse Forklift Operator salary in Maryland, 25% of the population are earning less than 20,400 USD while 75% of the population earn more than 20,400 USD.

75% of the population earn less than 37,200 USD, and 25% of the population earn more than 37,200 USD.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Warehouse Forklift Operator Salary by Experience Level in Maryland

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average Warehouse Forklift Operator salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Warehouse Forklift Operator in Maryland that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 19,100 USD.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Warehouse Forklift Operator salary would increase to 23,400 USD.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Warehouse Forklift Operator, the average salary would be 30,100 USD.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 35,200 USD.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Warehouse Forklift Operator with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 40,300 USD.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Warehouse Forklift Operator with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 42,800 USD.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years-
19,100 USD
2-5 Years+34%
23,400 USD
5-10 Years+30%
30,100 USD
10-15 Years+21%
35,200 USD
15-20 Years+9%
40,300 USD
20+ Years+5%
42,800 USD

Warehouse Forklift Operator Salary by Education Level in Maryland

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Warehouse Forklift Operator in Maryland based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • High School. A Warehouse Forklift Operator in Maryland with a high school education can earn an average salary of 23,200 USD.
  • Certificate or Diploma. A Warehouse Forklift Operator in Maryland with a certificate or diploma education can earn an average salary of 35,200 USD.

Average Salary by Education Chart

High School-
23,200 USD
Certificate or Diploma+68%
35,200 USD

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in United States is around 39,500 to 118,000 USD and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Warehouse Forklift Operator Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In Maryland, a male warehouse forklift operator will earn an average of 26,500 USD, while a female warehouse forklift operator will earn around 27,300 USD.

This means that a male warehouse forklift operator earns approximately 3% less than a female warehouse forklift operator for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in Maryland

Male-
26,500 USD
Female+3%
27,300 USD

Warehouse Forklift Operator Average Pay Raise in Maryland

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Warehouse Forklift Operator in Maryland is around 8% every 17 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in United States is around 8% every 16 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 8 ÷ 17 ) × 12  = 6%

What this means is that a Warehouse Forklift Operator in Maryland can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 6% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in Maryland for 2025

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in United States.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking-
4%
Energy-
8%
Information Technology-
3%
Healthcare-
7%
Travel-
2%
Construction-
6%
Education-
1%

Warehouse Forklift Operator Bonus and Incentive Rates in Maryland

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

A Warehouse Forklift Operator is a low bonus based job, with 30% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

70% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 3%.

Received Bonus-
30%
No Bonus-
70%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in United States earn approximately 6% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector-
98,800 USD
Private Sector-6%
93,100 USD

Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Warehouse Forklift Operator

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Warehouse Forklift Operator in Maryland.

Job TitleCategorySalary
Assembly ForemanFactory and Manufacturing27,400 USD
Assembly Line WorkerFactory and Manufacturing27,100 USD
Assembly SupervisorFactory and Manufacturing39,600 USD
Assistance Maintenance ManagerFactory and Manufacturing96,400 USD
Assistant Shipping ManagerFactory and Manufacturing87,500 USD
CNC MachinistFactory and Manufacturing61,300 USD
CNC OperatorFactory and Manufacturing58,600 USD
CNC ProgrammerFactory and Manufacturing64,900 USD
Chemical Equipment ControllerFactory and Manufacturing58,800 USD
Chemical Technican ApprenticeFactory and Manufacturing55,200 USD
Colour TechnologistFactory and Manufacturing35,300 USD
Contracts ManagerFactory and Manufacturing107,700 USD
Data Collection CoordinatorFactory and Manufacturing48,600 USD
Demand PlannerFactory and Manufacturing40,000 USD
Derrick OperatorFactory and Manufacturing29,600 USD
Director of ManufacturingFactory and Manufacturing167,100 USD
Dock WorkerFactory and Manufacturing26,600 USD
Drying TechnicianFactory and Manufacturing22,800 USD
Equipment OperatorFactory and Manufacturing23,600 USD
Export Sales CoordinatorFactory and Manufacturing80,500 USD
Factory SuperintendentFactory and Manufacturing38,000 USD
Factory WorkerFactory and Manufacturing30,800 USD
Failure Analysis TechnicianFactory and Manufacturing40,300 USD
Fiberglass LaminatorFactory and Manufacturing27,100 USD
Food TechnologistFactory and Manufacturing50,000 USD
Forklift DriverFactory and Manufacturing26,500 USD
Forklift OperatorFactory and Manufacturing26,300 USD
Forming Machine OperatorFactory and Manufacturing29,000 USD
Furnace OperatorFactory and Manufacturing24,200 USD
Gas Appliance RepairerFactory and Manufacturing27,800 USD
General Warehouse AssociateFactory and Manufacturing45,100 USD
HSE ManagerFactory and Manufacturing119,700 USD
Heavy Equipment OperatorFactory and Manufacturing33,300 USD
Industrial EngineerFactory and Manufacturing86,100 USD
Industrial Machinery MechanicFactory and Manufacturing53,800 USD
Industrial Production ManagerFactory and Manufacturing158,700 USD
Industrial Safety and Health EngineerFactory and Manufacturing81,300 USD
Intake OperatorFactory and Manufacturing35,000 USD
Key Account ManagerFactory and Manufacturing134,700 USD
Lift Truck OperatorFactory and Manufacturing26,300 USD
Loading SupervisorFactory and Manufacturing48,300 USD
Logistic CoordinatorFactory and Manufacturing72,400 USD
Logistics ClerkFactory and Manufacturing32,300 USD
Machine OperatorFactory and Manufacturing27,800 USD
MachinistFactory and Manufacturing25,500 USD
Maintenance ManagerFactory and Manufacturing99,900 USD
Maintenance Store ClerkFactory and Manufacturing25,800 USD
Manufacturing EngineerFactory and Manufacturing88,300 USD
Manufacturing Engineering ManagerFactory and Manufacturing128,200 USD
Manufacturing Engineering TechnologistFactory and Manufacturing101,400 USD
Manufacturing ManagerFactory and Manufacturing140,200 USD
Manufacturing OperativeFactory and Manufacturing47,100 USD
Manufacturing Production TechnicianFactory and Manufacturing32,200 USD
Manufacturing SupervisorFactory and Manufacturing72,300 USD
Manufacturing TechnicianFactory and Manufacturing31,400 USD
Materials ManagerFactory and Manufacturing118,900 USD
Materials SupervisorFactory and Manufacturing77,000 USD
Mechanical Fitter EngineerFactory and Manufacturing88,300 USD
Mechanical ForemanFactory and Manufacturing29,600 USD
Merchandise PlannerFactory and Manufacturing49,400 USD
Metrology EngineerFactory and Manufacturing79,600 USD
Operations EngineerFactory and Manufacturing86,100 USD
Operations ManagerFactory and Manufacturing128,200 USD
Order Management CoordinatorFactory and Manufacturing67,500 USD
Order Processing ManagerFactory and Manufacturing114,600 USD
Order SelectorFactory and Manufacturing30,200 USD
Package HandlerFactory and Manufacturing25,800 USD
Packaging ManagerFactory and Manufacturing93,800 USD
PackerFactory and Manufacturing29,900 USD
Packing Deputy SupervisorFactory and Manufacturing68,500 USD
Planning ManagerFactory and Manufacturing124,500 USD
Plant ManagerFactory and Manufacturing151,800 USD
Precision Instrument RepairerFactory and Manufacturing41,700 USD
Process TechnicianFactory and Manufacturing32,900 USD
Product ManagerFactory and Manufacturing138,700 USD
Production AnalystFactory and Manufacturing115,600 USD
Production DirectorFactory and Manufacturing163,800 USD
Production EngineerFactory and Manufacturing91,700 USD
Production Engineering SupervisorFactory and Manufacturing134,700 USD
Production InspectorFactory and Manufacturing88,300 USD
Production LaborerFactory and Manufacturing22,400 USD
Production ManagerFactory and Manufacturing152,700 USD
Production OperatorFactory and Manufacturing38,700 USD
Production SchedulerFactory and Manufacturing63,900 USD
Production SupervisorFactory and Manufacturing84,600 USD
Production TechnicianFactory and Manufacturing35,200 USD
Production WorkerFactory and Manufacturing33,000 USD
Quality Control AnalystFactory and Manufacturing114,600 USD
Quality Control InspectorFactory and Manufacturing86,100 USD
Quality Control ManagerFactory and Manufacturing130,500 USD
SHEQ OfficerFactory and Manufacturing41,300 USD
Service TechnicianFactory and Manufacturing34,100 USD
Shipping ManagerFactory and Manufacturing130,500 USD
Small Engine MechanicFactory and Manufacturing45,300 USD
Spray PainterFactory and Manufacturing27,000 USD
Sterile Processing TechnicianFactory and Manufacturing32,200 USD
Structural WelderFactory and Manufacturing24,200 USD
Supply Chain OperativeFactory and Manufacturing76,800 USD
Technical OperatorFactory and Manufacturing35,400 USD
Technology Development ManagerFactory and Manufacturing158,900 USD
Testing TechnicianFactory and Manufacturing62,100 USD
ToolmakerFactory and Manufacturing46,400 USD
Warehouse OperativeFactory and Manufacturing30,300 USD
Warehouse WorkerFactory and Manufacturing28,900 USD
Warranty HandlerFactory and Manufacturing50,000 USD
WelderFactory and Manufacturing26,600 USD
Workshop ManagerFactory and Manufacturing100,700 USD

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in United States, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

CityAverage Salary
Atlanta25,800 USD
Austin29,300 USD
Baltimore27,300 USD
Boston27,400 USD
Bristol20,100 USD
Chicago31,700 USD
Cincinnati22,800 USD
Cleveland25,700 USD
Dallas31,400 USD
Denver30,000 USD
Detroit30,100 USD
Honolulu22,200 USD
Houston34,000 USD
Indianapolis29,200 USD
Iowa City23,400 USD
Jacksonville30,300 USD
Kansas City27,300 USD
Kent25,300 USD
Las Vegas25,500 USD
Long Beach28,800 USD
Los Angeles33,600 USD
Memphis26,500 USD
Miami23,600 USD
Minneapolis27,000 USD
New Orleans22,400 USD
New York34,400 USD
Oakland23,700 USD
Oklahoma City29,600 USD
Orlando22,200 USD
Philadelphia34,000 USD
Phoenix34,000 USD
Sacramento26,500 USD
San Antonio32,900 USD
San Diego34,100 USD
San Francisco31,400 USD
San Jose29,100 USD
Seattle29,400 USD
Tampa24,800 USD
Vancouver21,300 USD
Washington D.C.26,900 USD

Salary Comparison by State

The table below includes links to the average salary for each state in United States.

StateAverage Salary
Alabama29,600 USD
Alaska25,700 USD
Arizona30,600 USD
Arkansas25,800 USD
California32,300 USD
Colorado29,600 USD
Connecticut26,400 USD
Delaware22,800 USD
District of Columbia26,500 USD
Florida33,600 USD
Georgia29,600 USD
Hawaii26,900 USD
Idaho27,400 USD
Illinois30,600 USD
Indiana26,900 USD
Iowa25,500 USD
Kansas29,600 USD
Kentucky27,400 USD
Louisiana27,700 USD
Maine23,600 USD
Massachusetts30,000 USD
Michigan28,900 USD
Minnesota31,200 USD
Mississippi25,800 USD
Missouri31,300 USD
Montana22,800 USD
Nebraska27,300 USD
Nevada26,900 USD
New Hampshire27,400 USD
New Jersey32,900 USD
New Mexico26,600 USD
New York30,200 USD
North Carolina27,300 USD
North Dakota26,400 USD
Ohio31,400 USD
Oklahoma25,500 USD
Oregon29,900 USD
Pennsylvania30,800 USD
Rhode Island27,400 USD
South Carolina30,800 USD
South Dakota23,700 USD
Tennessee31,400 USD
Texas30,000 USD
Utah28,800 USD
Vermont25,300 USD
Virginia28,900 USD
Washington29,600 USD
West Virginia27,800 USD
Wisconsin31,200 USD
Wyoming25,300 USD

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