Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators salary in Merced, CA
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators in the Merced, CA metro area earn a median of $44,520 a year ($21.41 an hour), based on BLS data for 720 workers.
Pay ranges from $35,770 for the lowest-paid 10% to $62,660 for the top 10%. That is 4% lower than the national median of $46,420. Pay here is 7% lower than the California statewide median of $47,770. There are 9.1 industrial truck and tractor operators per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.8× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $46,590, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for industrial truck and tractor operators in Merced, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,770 | $17.20 |
| 25th percentile | $37,750 | $18.15 |
| Median | $44,520 | $21.41 |
| 75th percentile | $54,200 | $26.06 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $62,660 | $30.13 |
| Average (mean) | $46,590 | $22.40 |
Half of industrial truck and tractor operators earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,710 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,855 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,712.31 |
| Weekly | $856.15 |
| Hourly | $21.41 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | $62,460 | 1,070 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $59,240 | 7,530 |
| Modesto, CA | $55,810 | 2,350 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $54,440 | 2,130 |
| Napa, CA | $52,800 | 530 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $48,290 | 5,810 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $47,850 | 24,180 |
| Redding, CA | $47,740 | 160 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $47,570 | 3,150 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $46,970 | 670 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $46,600 | 22,170 |
| Visalia, CA | $46,590 | 1,730 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $46,530 | 270 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $46,370 | 3,890 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $46,050 | 270 |
| Chico, CA | $45,820 | 240 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $45,100 | 210 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $44,980 | 2,370 |
| Yuba City, CA | $44,720 | 280 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $44,540 | 1,200 |
| Salinas, CA | $43,370 | 1,290 |
| Fresno, CA | $43,360 | 3,220 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $42,740 | 570 |
| El Centro, CA | $39,650 | 340 |
Highest-paying states for industrial truck and tractor operators
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $83,720 |
| New Mexico | $62,150 |
| Delaware | $60,350 |
| Wyoming | $59,820 |
| New Hampshire | $54,460 |
| Alaska | $54,190 |
| Hawaii | $53,640 |
| Oregon | $50,760 |
| Colorado | $50,570 |
| Washington | $49,910 |
See Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in Merced, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $38,080 | $18.31 |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | $34,320 | $16.50 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $41,890 | $20.14 |
| Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | $38,860 | $18.68 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors | $68,530 | $32.95 |
| Machine Feeders and Offbearers | $41,930 | $20.16 |
| Conveyor Operators and Tenders | $62,970 | $30.28 |
| Material Moving Workers, All Other | $49,670 | $23.88 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $55,630 | $26.75 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | $57,400 | $27.60 |
| Driver/Sales Worker | $49,290 | $23.70 |
| Bus Drivers, School | $61,580 | $29.61 |
| Light Truck Driver | $44,250 | $21.27 |
| Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs | $39,060 | $18.78 |
More: Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · all salaries in Merced, CA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 53-7051. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a industrial truck and tractor operators make in Merced, CA?
The median salary for industrial truck and tractor operators in the Merced, CA metro area is $44,520 a year, or $21.41 an hour. Pay ranges from $35,770 for the lowest-paid 10% to $62,660 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid industrial truck and tractor operators make in Merced, CA?
The top 10% of industrial truck and tractor operators in the Merced, CA metro area earn at least $62,660 a year. The top 25% earn $54,200 or more.
What is the starting pay for industrial truck and tractor operators in Merced, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $35,770 a year, and a quarter of industrial truck and tractor operators earn $37,750 or less.
How many industrial truck and tractor operators work in Merced, CA?
About 720 industrial truck and tractor operators are employed in the Merced, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.