Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator Salary in St. Louis, MO
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area earn a median $46,330 a year — 0% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $38,166 take-home, or $3,180 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median industrial truck and tractor operator salary in St. Louis, MO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,380
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,872
- Medicare (1.45%)$672
- Missouri income tax$1,240
- Take-home pay$38,166
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.70% state
Living in St. Louis? City residents also pay St. Louis’s Earnings Tax — about $463 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $37,703 ($3,142 a month). Choose “St. Louis” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The St. Louis, MO-IL metro spans Missouri, Illinois. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator pay by experience in St. Louis, MO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,480 | $18.02 | $31,471 | $2,623 |
| 25th percentile | $42,880 | $20.62 | $35,556 | $2,963 |
| Median (50th) | $46,330 | $22.27 | $38,166 | $3,180 |
| 75th percentile | $59,690 | $28.70 | $48,273 | $4,023 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $66,350 | $31.90 | $53,311 | $4,443 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Missouri resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $46,330 buys in St. Louis, MO
Prices in St. Louis, MO are 4.9% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 21% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median industrial truck and tractor operator's $38,166 take-home pay has the buying power of $40,138 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 St. Louis, MO than nationally (location quotient 0.75), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for industrial truck and tractor operators, adjusted for cost of living
St. Louis, MO ranks #27 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 |
| 27 | St. Louis, MO | $46,330 | $38,166 | $40,138 |
*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 Missouri
- Kansas City, MO — $47,350
Frequently asked questions
How much does a industrial truck and tractor operator make in St. Louis, MO?
The median industrial truck and tractor operator salary in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area is $46,330 a year, or about $22.27 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $42,880 and $59,690.
What is a industrial truck and tractor operator’s take-home pay in St. Louis, MO?
On the median $46,330 salary, a single filer living in Missouri takes home about $38,166 a year ($3,180 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,240 in Missouri taxes in 2026.
Is St. Louis, MO 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 4.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $40,138 would in a typical U.S. city. St. Louis, MO ranks #27 of 65 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a industrial truck and tractor operator afford rent in St. Louis, MO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in St. Louis, MO is $989 a month ($1,211 for two bedrooms) — 31% 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 St. Louis, MO
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