Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators Salary in Tennessee
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators in Tennessee have a median of $42,100 a year, below the national $46,420 (−9%); the state ranks 50th of 51 states by median. That is 11% less than the median across all occupations in Tennessee ($47,380). Every neighbouring state pays more: Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, North Carolina and Georgia range from $43,210 in Georgia to $46,920 in Virginia. Tennessee employs 20,070 industrial truck and tractor operators, 6.12 per 1,000 jobs, the 12th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.23 means the occupation is more concentrated in Tennessee than nationally.
Tennessee vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Tennessee | Hourly | $17.08 | $18.14 | $20.24 | $22.91 | $26.28 | $21.09 | 20,070 | 6.12 | 1.23 |
| Annual | $35,520 | $37,740 | $42,100 | $47,660 | $54,660 | $43,860 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.71 | $19.24 | $22.32 | $26.33 | $30.06 | $23.25 | 774,420 | – | – |
| Annual | $36,840 | $40,030 | $46,420 | $54,770 | $62,520 | $48,370 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 50th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 12th of 50 states
- Location quotient
- 1.23
- Jobs per 1,000
- 6.12
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Tennessee's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Tennessee
10 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Tennessee publish a row for industrial truck and tractor operators, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson City, TN | $21.63 | $44,990 | $34,340 | $45,550 | 210 | 2.54 | 0.51 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $21.59 | $44,910 | $36,440 | $61,110 | 590 | 5.71 | 1.15 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $21.44 | $44,600 | $36,610 | $58,240 | 6,000 | 5.46 | 1.10 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $21.41 | $44,540 | $36,810 | $52,000 | 7,950 | 12.99 | 2.61 |
| Cleveland, TN | $20.68 | $43,020 | $29,880 | $48,030 | 360 | 8.31 | 1.67 |
| Knoxville, TN | $20.39 | $42,410 | $35,260 | $57,830 | 1,640 | 3.87 | 0.78 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $19.58 | $40,720 | $35,350 | $51,770 | 590 | 4.96 | 1.00 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $19.36 | $40,260 | $37,290 | $47,490 | 1,670 | 6.22 | 1.25 |
| Morristown, TN | $19.02 | $39,570 | $33,890 | $47,340 | 310 | 6.61 | 1.33 |
| Jackson, TN | $18.54 | $38,570 | $34,860 | $48,600 | 700 | 8.25 | 1.66 |
| East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $22.20 | $46,180 | $34,530 | $53,230 | 930 | 6.62 | 1.33 |
| South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $21.69 | $45,120 | $36,160 | $61,530 | 960 | 8.69 | 1.74 |
| West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $20.47 | $42,580 | $33,450 | $50,460 | 890 | 7.58 | 1.52 |
| North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $17.72 | $36,860 | $33,090 | $44,660 | 720 | 6.25 | 1.25 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $20.24 | $42,100 | 20,070 | 1.23 |
| Alabama | $21.58 | $44,880 | 15,360 | 1.46 |
| Arkansas | $21.05 | $43,780 | 10,850 | 1.67 |
| Georgia | $20.78 | $43,210 | 50,260 | 2.06 |
| Kentucky | $22.42 | $46,630 | 11,270 | 1.13 |
| Missouri | $21.73 | $45,190 | 11,470 | 0.78 |
| Mississippi | $20.88 | $43,420 | 9,640 | 1.66 |
| North Carolina | $20.88 | $43,420 | 26,830 | 1.09 |
| Virginia | $22.56 | $46,920 | 19,320 | 0.94 |
See the national page for Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators (every state ranked) and the Tennessee wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Tennessee estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.