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Forklift Driver Salary: How It Compares to the National Full-Time Average

The median full-time forklift driver earns about $1,340 a week ($69,680 a year), well below the national full-time ordinary-time average of $2,083.70 a week ($108,352 a year).

This sits on the Australian full-time average.

Week, hour, and a tax sketch

$2,084 a week · $54.83 an hour if spread over 38 hours

About $83,159 after resident income tax and a 2% Medicare levy.

2026–27 resident rates and a 2% Medicare levy. Not a tax assessment.Open the full line

Where the Forklift Driver Salary Sits

Forklift drivers are essential across warehousing, logistics, manufacturing and construction. But how does the pay compare with the national full-time average? According to the latest data from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (May 2025), the median full-time weekly earnings for a forklift driver is $1,340. That works out to about $69,680 a year before tax.

This is a median figure: half of full-time forklift drivers earn more, half earn less. The ABS does not publish a mean (average) for this occupation, so we rely on the median as the best available benchmark.

By contrast, the national full-time adult ordinary-time average – the line used on this site – is $2,083.70 a week or $108,352 a year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). That means the typical forklift driver earns about $744 less per week than the national average. Even the national full-time median for all occupations ($1,741 a week, $90,532 a year) is well above the forklift driver median.

Why Forklift Driver Pay Is Below the Average

Several structural factors keep forklift driver earnings below the national line:

  • Award coverage: Most forklift drivers are covered by modern awards such as the Storage Services and Wholesale Award or the General Retail Industry Award. These awards set minimum hourly rates that, even after the 4.75% increase from the 2026 Annual Wage Review, are below the national average. The Fair Work Commission’s Modern Awards Pay Database shows that the base rate for a level 1 storeperson is around $24–$26 an hour, depending on the award.
  • Limited premium pay: While penalty rates for overtime, weekends and public holidays can boost earnings, many forklift drivers work standard weekday hours without significant loadings.
  • Industry mix: The largest employing industries for forklift drivers – transport, postal and warehousing, and manufacturing – have average weekly earnings below the all-industries average. For example, the ABS reports that the Transport, Postal and Warehousing industry’s full-time adult ordinary-time average was about $1,900 a week in May 2026, below the national $2,083.70.
  • Gender composition: Only 5% of forklift drivers are female (Jobs and Skills Australia, 2025). While this does not directly explain low pay, occupations with a high male share often have different pay structures.

What Would Move a Forklift Driver Above the Average?

To reach or exceed the national full-time average of $108,352, a forklift driver would need to earn about $2,084 a week. That is roughly $55 an hour on a 38-hour week – well above the typical award rate. How could that happen?

  • Overtime and penalty rates: Working regular overtime at time-and-a-half or double time can lift weekly pay significantly. For example, a driver on $30 an hour working 10 hours of overtime at $45 an hour would add $450 to their weekly pay.
  • Higher classification: Some forklift drivers operate specialised equipment (e.g. reach trucks, order pickers, or dangerous goods handling) and are classified at higher levels under awards, attracting higher base rates.
  • Location: Drivers in Western Australia, where the state full-time average is about $115,825, or in the ACT ($119,090), may find employers paying above-award rates to attract workers in tight labour markets.
  • Enterprise agreements: Some large logistics companies have enterprise agreements that set rates well above the award minimum. For instance, a driver under a union-negotiated agreement might earn $35–$40 an hour base.

Even so, reaching the national average would be unusual for a standard full-time role without substantial overtime. The median full-time earnings for all occupations ($90,532) is a more realistic ceiling for most forklift drivers.

How the Figures Are Set

The national full-time average comes from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey, which is published twice a year (May and November). The May 2026 release shows a seasonally adjusted figure of $2,083.70 for full-time adult ordinary-time earnings. This is the line used on Place a salary on the line.

Median earnings for occupations come from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, most recently for August 2025. That survey provides median weekly earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate – the population used for the forklift driver figure.

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 an hour, or $1,004.90 a week on a 38-hour week ($52,255 a year). Award minimums rose by 4.75% in the 2026 Annual Wage Review. The Fair Work Commission’s Modern Awards Pay Database contains the exact rates for each award classification.

State Comparisons

Forklift driver pay can vary by state, reflecting local labour market conditions and industry mix. The state full-time averages (from ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026) are:

  • New South Wales: $109,658
  • Victoria: $106,137
  • Queensland: $106,064
  • South Australia: $102,450
  • Western Australia: $115,825
  • Tasmania: $96,008
  • Northern Territory: $103,173
  • Australian Capital Territory: $119,090

A forklift driver in WA or the ACT is more likely to find above-award rates than one in Tasmania or South Australia. See States and territories for more detail.

The Bottom Line

The forklift driver salary sits well below the national full-time average. The median of $69,680 a year is about 64% of the average line. While overtime, location and specialisation can lift earnings, the typical driver remains in the lower half of the earnings distribution. For a realistic benchmark, the national full-time median ($90,532) or the all-employees median ($74,100) are more relevant comparisons. See Job medians for other occupations.

For more on how awards and agreements set pay, see How the figures are set.

Questions

What is the average forklift driver salary in Australia?

The most recent data from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (May 2025) gives a median full-time weekly earnings figure of $1,340 for forklift drivers. That works out to about $69,680 a year before tax. This is a median, not an average, so half of full-time forklift drivers earn more and half earn less. The ABS does not publish a mean (average) figure for this occupation.

How does a forklift driver salary compare to the national average?

The national full-time adult ordinary-time average is $2,083.70 a week ($108,352 a year) according to the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026. The forklift driver median of $1,340 a week is about $744 below that average. Even the national full-time median for all occupations ($1,741 a week, $90,532 a year) is higher. Forklift driver pay sits in the lower half of the earnings distribution, partly because the role is often covered by awards with lower minimum rates and limited premium pay.

What factors can push a forklift driver's pay above the average?

Several factors can lift earnings above the typical median: working overtime or weekends at penalty rates under a modern award; gaining experience and moving into higher-classified roles (e.g. reach truck or counterbalance); working in industries such as warehousing, logistics or construction that pay above-award rates; and location – for example, Western Australia’s full-time average is about $115,825, and drivers there may earn more. However, even with these factors, reaching the national full-time average of $108,352 would require significant overtime or a specialist role.

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