Fork Lift Operating
Federal headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison for the Fork Lift Operating occupation series (code 5704), drawn directly from the OPM FedScope dataset (June 2026).
The verdict
With 126 employees (0.0% of the federal civilian workforce), Fork Lift Operating ranks as a smaller, specialized federal occupation within the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family, and headcount grew 1.6% from the prior period. Its average salary of $67,848 pays below the $117,339 federal average.
- Employees
- 126
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $67,848
- Avg tenure
- 12.4 yrs
FedScope read on Fork Lift Operating (thin series)
Federal agencies employ 126 people in the Fork Lift Operating occupation (OPM code 5704), accounting for 0.0% of the total federal civilian workforce of 1,953,300 for the June 2026 reporting window. Headcount in this occupation moved up by 1.6% versus the prior period, though at this small a headcount, year-to-year swings can reflect a handful of hires or departures rather than a broad hiring trend.
Fork Lift Operating pays $67,848 per year on average, moving down -2.0% from the prior period (a modest shift, consistent with routine locality pay and grade-level movement). Employees in this role stay an average of 12.4 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career.
Code 57, the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family, is where the federal government classifies Fork Lift Operating alongside 14 related occupations. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Fork Lift Operating postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family.
Inside the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family (15 occupations, 9,311 employees combined), Fork Lift Operating holds the #9 spot by headcount, a 1.4% share of the family total.
Salary context · lean-pay series
How Fork Lift Operating pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$67,848
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-42.2%
Where Fork Lift Operating ranks on lean federal pay
Its average salary of $67,848 is higher than 23% of federal occupation series (125 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Fork Lift Operating sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Fork Lift Operating ranks higher than 23%.
Related Occupations in Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor Vehicle Operating | 4,012 | $61,944 | 12.6 yrs |
| Engineering Equipment Operating | 2,691 | $78,062 | 13.2 yrs |
| Crane Operating | 616 | $90,118 | 13.9 yrs |
| Misc Transportation/mobile Equipment Oper | 512 | $60,267 | 13 yrs |
| Tractor Operating | 437 | $60,593 | 11.6 yrs |
| Small Craft Operating | 225 | $76,720 | 12.5 yrs |
| Deckhand | 192 | $66,505 | 7.3 yrs |
| Ship Operating | 129 | $101,346 | 14.4 yrs |
| Riverboat Operating | 120 | n/a | 15 yrs |
| Drill Rig Operating | 78 | $75,988 | 10.3 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this thin headcount
Two peer sets for Fork Lift Operating outside the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar thin headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (126 here).
Similar lean average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($67,848 here).
Key takeaways
- Fork Lift Operating pays below the federal average by 42.2% ($67,848 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 23rd percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 126 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 1.6% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Fork Lift Operating ranks #452 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Inside the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family (15 occupations, 9,311 employees combined), Fork Lift Operating holds the #9 spot by headcount, a 1.4% share of the family total.
OPM FedScope and Federal Workforce Data figures are federal civilian headcounts, average salaries, and length-of-service statistics - not job-quality scores, hiring advice, or a live vacancy listing. A larger or higher-paid agency is not a better employer.