SOC 53-7051 · South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metro

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators Salary in South Bend, IN

The average salary for industrial truck and tractor operators in South Bend, Indiana is $46,840 a year ($22.52 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $44,350: half of the 590 people in this job in the South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 3% less than the U.S. average for this job ($48,370).

$46,840average per year

$22.52 / hourMedian $44,350Take-home ≈ $37,639

  • $37K10th
  • $40K25th
  • $44KMedian
  • $50K75th
  • $60K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

590people in this job
-3%vs U.S. average
#4 of 12Indiana metros
93cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators pay range in South Bend

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,290 a year or less, while the top 10% make $60,110 or more. The middle half of industrial truck and tractor operators in South Bend earn between $39,590 and $50,020.

  • $37K10th
  • $40K25th
  • $44KMedian
  • $50K75th
  • $60K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$46,840$3,903$22.52
Median$44,350$3,696$21.32
Entry level (25th percentile)$39,590$3,299$19.03
Experienced (75th percentile)$50,020$4,168$24.05

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators pay in South Bend vs. Indiana and the U.S.

Industrial truck and tractor operators in South Bend earn about the same as the Indiana average ($47,600) and 3% less than the U.S. average ($48,370). At the median the gap is -4% against the U.S. median of $46,420.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
South Bend$46,840$44,350$37,290$60,110590
Indiana$47,600$45,650$37,250$61,63023,090
United States$48,370$46,420$36,840$62,520774,420

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators salary after taxes in South Bend

On the average salary of $46,840, a single filer in South Bend takes home about $37,639 a year, or $3,137 a month and $1,448 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.

The South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in MI$38,072$3,173
Working in IN$37,639$3,137

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Includes South Bend's local income tax (1.75%).

Indiana paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is South Bend a good place for industrial truck and tractor operators? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the South Bend area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.9), so the average $46,840 buys what about $50,443 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in South Bend ($46,540). A typical home costs $238,866, or 5.1 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $46,840 is worth in another city

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators salary in other Indiana cities

South Bend ranks 4th of 12 Indiana metro areas for this job; Michigan City pays the most ($48,690).

All Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators salaries in Indiana

Highest-paying cities for industrial truck and tractor operators

Honolulu, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($63,690).

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators salary by city

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Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators salary in South Bend: questions

How much do industrial truck and tractor operators make an hour in South Bend?

$22.52 an hour on average, and $21.32 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level industrial truck and tractor operators salary in South Bend?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,290 a year and the 25th percentile is $39,590, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the industrial truck and tractor operators take-home pay in South Bend?

About $37,639 a year ($3,137 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $46,840. Includes South Bend's local income tax (1.75%).

Do industrial truck and tractor operators earn more in South Bend than elsewhere?

The average here is 3% less than the U.S. average for this job ($48,370).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 53-7051; area South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI (43780). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.5%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Includes South Bend's local income tax (1.75%).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.89, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.