Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators Salary
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators in Jefferson City, MO make a median of $41,880 a year, or about $20.14 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.97), which stretches that salary to about $47,607 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $910/month, about 31.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $42K get you in Jefferson City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Jefferson City’s Regional Price Parity (87.97). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About industrial truck and tractor operators
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What this looks like in Jefferson City
Industrial truck and tractor operators pay in Jefferson City tracks closely to the national median, $42K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 10% difference. Rent runs $910/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for industrial truck and tractor operators in metros near Jefferson City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | $47K | $51K |
| St. Louis | $46K | $49K |
| Springfield | $45K | $51K |
| Joplin | $46K | $54K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Jefferson City, MO
Entry-level industrial truck and tractor operators (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $21K spread from bottom to top.
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $84K | +80% | N/A |
| New Mexico | $62K | +34% | 2,620 |
| Delaware | $60K | +30% | 5,230 |
| Wyoming | $60K | +29% | 790 |
| New Hampshire | $54K | +17% | 1,450 |
| Alaska | $54K | +17% | 410 |
| Hawaii | $54K | +16% | 880 |
| Oregon | $51K | +9% | 8,560 |
| Colorado | $51K | +9% | 8,570 |
| Washington | $50K | +8% | 18,750 |
| Minnesota | $50K | +7% | 7,110 |
| North Dakota | $49K | +6% | 930 |
| Utah | $49K | +6% | 6,830 |
| New York | $49K | +6% | 18,420 |
| Louisiana | $49K | +5% | 7,680 |
| Florida | $48K | +4% | 38,400 |
| Arizona | $48K | +4% | 12,340 |
| Montana | $48K | +4% | 910 |
| California | $48K | +3% | 89,620 |
| Maine | $48K | +3% | 2,900 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | +3% | 42,110 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | +3% | 12,150 |
| Illinois | $48K | +3% | 29,450 |
| Iowa | $48K | +3% | 7,770 |
| Kansas | $47K | +2% | 7,700 |
| South Dakota | $47K | +2% | 1,940 |
| Vermont | $47K | +2% | 950 |
| Connecticut | $47K | +2% | 3,780 |
| Virginia | $47K | +1% | 19,320 |
| Massachusetts | $47K | +1% | 8,390 |
| Nebraska | $47K | +1% | 5,020 |
| Kentucky | $47K | +0% | 11,270 |
| Idaho | $47K | +0% | 2,560 |
| Ohio | $46K | +0% | 42,360 |
| New Jersey | $46K | -1% | 21,790 |
| Indiana | $46K | -2% | 23,090 |
| Maryland | $46K | -2% | 13,740 |
| Texas | $45K | -2% | 88,780 |
| Nevada | $45K | -3% | 7,300 |
| Michigan | $45K | -3% | 23,470 |
| Missouri | $45K | -3% | 11,470 |
| Rhode Island | $45K | -3% | 780 |
| Alabama | $45K | -3% | 15,360 |
| Oklahoma | $45K | -4% | 7,850 |
| Arkansas | $44K | -6% | 10,850 |
| South Carolina | $44K | -6% | 14,210 |
| Mississippi | $43K | -6% | 9,640 |
| North Carolina | $43K | -6% | 26,830 |
| Georgia | $43K | -7% | 50,260 |
| Tennessee | $42K | -9% | 20,070 |
| West Virginia | $42K | -10% | 1,400 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track industrial truck and tractor operators salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a industrial truck and tractor operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Jefferson City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 31.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $910/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for industrial truck and tractor operators in Jefferson City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new industrial truck and tractor operators typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,270/month. At HUD’s $910/month FMR, rent would take 40% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is industrial truck and tractor operator a high-paying job in Jefferson City?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $42K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Jefferson City compare to the national average for industrial truck and tractor operators?
Jefferson City pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do industrial truck and tractor operators make in Jefferson City, MO?
The median is $41,880 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,840, and experienced industrial truck and tractor operators can clear $58,620. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Jefferson City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,874/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $910/month, which eats 31.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a industrial truck and tractor operators salary go in Jefferson City?
Jefferson City has a Regional Price Parity of 87.97 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median industrial truck and tractor operators salary is worth about $47,607 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do industrial truck and tractor operators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.