Forklift Operation/Operator Degrees (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Forklift Operation/Operator — headline outcomes are in the stats below. Median in-state published tuition is about $4,530.
Key Statistics
Forklift Operation/Operator: what the data shows
Common questions about forklift operation/operator degrees, answered from IPEDS, College Scorecard, BLS OEWS, and O*NET in this repository—not program marketing copy.
What is a forklift operation/operator degree?
A Forklift Operation/Operator program is classified under NCES CIP 49.0209.
A program that prepares individuals to operate forklifts in a variety of work environments. Includes instruction in accident prevention, forklift operation, materials handling, and worksite safety
Types of forklift operation/operator degrees and related programs
Other NCES program codes in the 49.02 family with pages on EDsmart Data:
- Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation (CIP 49.0202)
- Flagging and Traffic Control (CIP 49.0207)
- Mobil Crane Operator/Operation (CIP 49.0206)
- Railroad and Railway Transportation (CIP 49.0208)
- Truck and Bus Driver/Commercial Vehicle Operator and Instructor (CIP 49.0205)
Is a forklift operation/operator degree worth it?
Among schools reporting in our Scorecard extract, median published in-state tuition is $4,530 and median net price is $8,759.
We do not score "worth" on opinion—compare debt, earnings, wages for mapped occupations, and completion data above against your cost and career target.
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Forklift Operation/Operator and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$4,530 Median In-State Public
$14,262 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Forklift Operation/Operator majors are, on average, $4,530 for in-state public colleges, and $14,262 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Forklift Operation/Operator programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
100,000 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Forklift Operation/Operator from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Forklift Operation/Operator.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ivy Tech Community College | IN | 58,267 |
| 2 | Ivy Tech Community College | IN | 58,267 |
| 3 | College of Southern Nevada | NV | 27,252 |
| 4 | Palm Beach State College | FL | 21,956 |
| 5 | Utah State University | UT | 20,272 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Forklift Operation/Operator programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego City College | CA | $1,146 |
| 2 | San Diego City College | CA | $1,146 |
| 3 | Santiago Canyon College | CA | $1,164 |
| 4 | Shasta College | CA | $1,197 |
| 5 | Los Angeles Trade Technical College | CA | $1,238 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Forklift Operation/Operator programs.
Top 5 Lowest Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort Peck Community College | MT | $400 |
| 2 | Wiregrass Georgia Technical College | GA | $614 |
| 3 | Henry Ford College | MI | $660 |
| 4 | North Florida College | FL | $804 |
| 5 | Southern Regional Technical College | GA | $813 |
Schools with the lowest average net price for Forklift Operation/Operator programs.
Graduation Rates
Graduation rate data is not available for this degree program.
Graduation/completion rates for Forklift Operation/Operator programs across institutions.
Related specializations
Other NCES program codes in the 49.02 CIP family with dedicated pages on EDsmart Data.
- Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation CIP 49.0202
- Flagging and Traffic Control CIP 49.0207
- Mobil Crane Operator/Operation CIP 49.0206
- Railroad and Railway Transportation CIP 49.0208
- Truck and Bus Driver/Commercial Vehicle Operator and Instructor CIP 49.0205
Employment
Wages and industry mix below use BLS OEWS data for occupations linked to this major in our mapping—not a graduate earnings survey.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$N/A Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Forklift Operation/Operator majors is $N/A.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Forklift Operation/Operator majors.
Occupations by Share
N/A 2023 Workforce
The number of Forklift Operation/Operator graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Forklift Operation/Operator by share of the total number of graduates.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Forklift Operation/Operator in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Forklift Operation/Operator.
Age distribution for Forklift Operation/Operator degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
197 Total Degrees Awarded
178 Male (90.36%)
19 Female (9.64%)
Gender distribution of Forklift Operation/Operator degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
127 Black or African American (64.47%)
26 Hispanic or Latino (13.20%)
18 White (9.14%)
7 Two or More Races (3.55%)
2 Asian (1.02%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of Forklift Operation/Operator degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Forklift Operation/Operator are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Forklift Operation/Operator.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Forklift Operation/Operator field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Forklift Operation/Operator majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Forklift Operation/Operator majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Forklift Operation/Operator majors.
About
A program that prepares individuals to operate forklifts in a variety of work environments. Includes instruction in accident prevention, forklift operation, materials handling, and worksite safety
In 2023, 100,000 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Forklift Operation/Operator.
CIP Code
49.0209 - Forklift Operation/Operator
What the data shows
Men earned 9.6% of 197 Forklift Operation/Operator completions in the IPEDS file used here.
Published tuition medians in College Scorecard land at $4,530 in-state at public colleges and $14,262 at private institutions for programs in this field.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.