SOC 53-7051 · Paducah, KY-IL metro

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators Salary in Paducah, KY

The average salary for industrial truck and tractor operators in Paducah, Kentucky is $44,570 a year ($21.43 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $39,460: half of the 100 people in this job in the Paducah, KY-IL metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 8% less than the U.S. average for this job ($48,370).

$44,570average per year

$21.43 / hourMedian $39,460Take-home ≈ $35,658

  • $33K10th
  • $35K25th
  • $39KMedian
  • $47K75th
  • $62K90th

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

100people in this job
-8%vs U.S. average
#5 of 6Kentucky metros
86cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators pay range in Paducah

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $32,520 a year or less, while the top 10% make $62,040 or more. The middle half of industrial truck and tractor operators in Paducah earn between $34,570 and $47,480.

  • $33K10th
  • $35K25th
  • $39KMedian
  • $47K75th
  • $62K90th

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

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$44,570$3,714$21.43
Median$39,460$3,288$18.97
Entry level (25th percentile)$34,570$2,881$16.62
Experienced (75th percentile)$47,480$3,957$22.83

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

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators pay in Paducah vs. Kentucky and the U.S.

Industrial truck and tractor operators in Paducah earn 10% less than the Kentucky average ($49,630) and 8% less than the U.S. average ($48,370). At the median the gap is -15% against the U.S. median of $46,420.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Paducah$44,570$39,460$32,520$62,040100
Kentucky$49,630$46,630$35,540$70,84011,270
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 Paducah

On the average salary of $44,570, a single filer in Paducah takes home about $35,658 a year, or $2,972 a month and $1,371 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.

The Paducah, KY-IL metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in IL$35,927$2,994
Working in KY$35,658$2,972

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes Paducah's local income tax (2%).

Kentucky paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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

Prices in the Paducah area are 14% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 86.1), so the average $44,570 buys what about $51,775 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Paducah ($45,860). A typical home costs $171,436, or 3.8 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $44,570 is worth in another city

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators salary in other Kentucky cities

Paducah ranks 5th of 6 Kentucky metro areas for this job; Owensboro pays the most ($51,470).

All Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators salaries in Kentucky

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 Paducah: questions

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

$21.43 an hour on average, and $18.97 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $32,520 a year and the 25th percentile is $34,570, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $35,658 a year ($2,972 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $44,570. Includes Paducah's local income tax (2%).

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

The average here is 8% 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 Paducah, KY-IL (37140). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.5%.
  • 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 (2026 rules). Includes Paducah's local income tax (2%).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.40, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.40).

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