Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator Salary in Columbus, OH
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators in the Columbus, OH metro area earn a median $46,780 a year — 1% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $39,264 take-home, or $3,272 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median industrial truck and tractor operator salary in Columbus, OH. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,434
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,900
- Medicare (1.45%)$678
- Ohio income tax$504
- Take-home pay$39,264
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 2.75% state
Living in Columbus? City residents also pay Columbus’s city income tax — about $1,170 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $38,094 ($3,175 a month). Choose “Columbus” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator pay by experience in Columbus, OH
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $39,010 | $18.75 | $33,234 | $2,770 |
| 25th percentile | $45,010 | $21.64 | $37,890 | $3,158 |
| Median (50th) | $46,780 | $22.49 | $39,264 | $3,272 |
| 75th percentile | $61,540 | $29.59 | $50,717 | $4,226 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $66,900 | $32.16 | $54,837 | $4,570 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Ohio resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $46,780 buys in Columbus, OH
Prices in Columbus, OH are 4.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 12% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median industrial truck and tractor operator's $39,264 take-home pay has the buying power of $41,127 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Columbus, OH has 2.2× the national concentration of industrial truck and tractor operator jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for industrial truck and tractor operators, adjusted for cost of living
Columbus, OH ranks #16 of 65 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Little Rock, AR | $48,710 | $39,632 | $44,348 |
| 2 | Modesto, CA | $55,810 | $44,900 | $43,128 |
| 3 | Jacksonville, FL | $50,670 | $42,893 | $43,116 |
| 4 | Cincinnati, OH | $49,000 | $40,986 | $42,976 |
| 5 | Scranton, PA | $48,860 | $39,939 | $42,690 |
| 6 | Birmingham, AL | $48,570 | $39,042 | $42,602 |
| 7 | Lakeland, FL | $48,290 | $40,981 | $42,187 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $55,600 | $46,855 | $42,161 |
| 16 | Columbus, OH | $46,780 | $39,264 | $41,127 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 65 metros →
About the job: industrial truck and tractor operators
Operate industrial trucks or tractors equipped to move materials around a warehouse, storage yard, factory, construction site, or similar location.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +1.5% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator salaries elsewhere in Ohio
- Cincinnati, OH — $49,000
- Toledo, OH — $45,100
- Cleveland, OH — $46,090
- Akron, OH — $45,590
- Dayton, OH — $45,120
Frequently asked questions
How much does a industrial truck and tractor operator make in Columbus, OH?
The median industrial truck and tractor operator salary in the Columbus, OH metro area is $46,780 a year, or about $22.49 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $45,010 and $61,540.
What is a industrial truck and tractor operator’s take-home pay in Columbus, OH?
On the median $46,780 salary, a single filer living in Ohio takes home about $39,264 a year ($3,272 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $504 in Ohio taxes in 2026.
Is Columbus, OH a good place to work as a industrial truck and tractor operator?
Pay here is 1% above the national median of $46,420. Local prices are 4.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $41,127 would in a typical U.S. city. Columbus, OH ranks #16 of 65 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a industrial truck and tractor operator afford rent in Columbus, OH?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Columbus, OH is $1,179 a month ($1,416 for two bedrooms) — 36% of a median industrial truck and tractor operator’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Columbus, OH
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $62,260
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $61,720
- Light Truck Driver — $43,800
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $41,200
- Stocker and Order Filler — $39,040
- Packers and Packagers, Hand — $38,090
- Driver/Sales Worker — $36,730