Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator Salary in San Diego, CA
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median $46,370 a year — 0% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $37,991 take-home, or $3,166 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median industrial truck and tractor operator salary in San Diego, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,384
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,875
- Medicare (1.45%)$672
- California income tax$844
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$603
- Take-home pay$37,991
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator pay by experience in San Diego, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $38,520 | $18.52 | $32,100 | $2,675 |
| 25th percentile | $41,110 | $19.76 | $34,044 | $2,837 |
| Median (50th) | $46,370 | $22.29 | $37,991 | $3,166 |
| 75th percentile | $56,190 | $27.01 | $45,177 | $3,765 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $63,330 | $30.45 | $50,388 | $4,199 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $46,370 buys in San Diego, CA
Prices in San Diego, CA are 11.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.79× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median industrial truck and tractor operator's $37,991 take-home pay has the buying power of $33,955 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator jobs are less concentrated in San Diego, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.51), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for industrial truck and tractor operators, adjusted for cost of living
San Diego, CA ranks #63 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 |
| 63 | San Diego, CA | $46,370 | $37,991 | $33,955 |
*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 California
- Modesto, CA — $55,810
- San Francisco, CA — $59,240
- Stockton, CA — $48,290
- Riverside, CA — $47,850
- Bakersfield, CA — $44,980
- Sacramento, CA — $47,570
- Fresno, CA — $43,360
- Los Angeles, CA — $46,600
Frequently asked questions
How much does a industrial truck and tractor operator make in San Diego, CA?
The median industrial truck and tractor operator salary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $46,370 a year, or about $22.29 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $41,110 and $56,190.
What is a industrial truck and tractor operator’s take-home pay in San Diego, CA?
On the median $46,370 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $37,991 a year ($3,166 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,447 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Diego, CA a good place to work as a industrial truck and tractor operator?
Pay here is 0% below the national median of $46,420. Local prices are 11.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $33,955 would in a typical U.S. city. San Diego, CA ranks #63 of 65 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a industrial truck and tractor operator afford rent in San Diego, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Diego, CA is $2,459 a month ($3,001 for two bedrooms) — 78% 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 San Diego, CA
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $60,590
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $59,780
- Light Truck Driver — $45,670
- Shuttle Driver and Chauffeur — $43,670
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $43,320
- Stocker and Order Filler — $39,160
- Parking Attendant — $37,960
- Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment — $37,120
- Packers and Packagers, Hand — $36,890