Which schools offer WIOA-approved forklift training?

99 schools offer these programs, and each state on this page approved its programs for workforce funding. Pick a state on the map or compare them belowCompare the states below, then open one to see each program with its price and how past students did.

What does a forklift operator do, and how do you become one?

Forklift operators drive industrial trucks with a lifting mechanism and forks to move heavy and large loads around warehouses, storage yards and other worksites. No formal education is usually required, and a forklift may take only a few days to learn; training covers safety rules, many of them set by OSHA, and employers must certify that each operator has been properly trained.¹

Approved programsup to 12 to 23 to 6more than 6

How much does forklift certification cost?

Most forklift programs approved for WIOA funding cost $200 to $760 if you pay yourself. Prices also differ by state: most cost $106 to $200 in Mississippi and $264 to $2,150 in Georgia.

That is the price of the whole program as the school reports it. If you qualify, WIOA funding can pay part or all of it, depending on local limits (who qualifies). The figures cover only programs approved for WIOA funding; other schools and programs may cost more or less.

Compare forklift training by state: cost, pay and results

Forklift certification by state
State	Programs	Most cost	Earned a year, estimated	Working 6 months later	Finished
Arizona	1	Too few figures to show
Arkansas	1	Left out	Not enough data	Not enough data	Not enough data
California	7	$225 to $792	Not enough data	Not enough data	91%
Connecticut	1	Too few figures to show
Florida	6	Too few figures to show
Georgia	8	$264 to $2,150	about $25,300	65%	99%
Illinois	2	Left out	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Indiana	2	Too few figures to show
Iowa	2	Too few figures to show
Kansas	1	Too few figures to show
Louisiana	3	Too few figures to show
Maryland	2	Too few figures to show
Mississippi	11	$106 to $200	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Missouri	4	Too few figures to show
Nebraska	2	Too few figures to show
Nevada	1	Not enough data	Not enough data	Left out	Not enough data
New Mexico	2	Too few figures to show
North Carolina	13	Too few figures to show
Ohio	2	Too few figures to show
Oklahoma	1	Not enough data	Not enough data	Left out	Not enough data
Pennsylvania	5	Not enough data	Not enough data	Left out	Not enough data
South Carolina	2	Too few figures to show
Tennessee	1	Too few figures to show
Texas	12	$340 to $4,362	about $28,300	59%	94%
Virginia	7	$246 to $338	Not enough data	Not enough data	Not enough data
Washington	13	$200 to $450	Not enough data	Not enough data	Not enough data
Wisconsin	1	Too few figures to show

Each figure is the middle program in that state. Yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. Only programs approved for workforce funding are counted; other schools may offer forklift training too. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).How these figures are made

Forklift training and OSHA forklift certification: what the 113 programs are

By kind, the 113 programs approved for WIOA funding are forklift certification course (107 programs) and forklift and warehouse course (6 programs).

Across the US, 79 of the 113 programs take students without a high school diploma, 29 ask for a diploma or equivalent and 5 ask for earlier courses first.

Is there free forklift training in the US?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program counted on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.²³⁴
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁵ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁴
Or pay yourself. Without funding, prices differ by state: most forklift programs cost $106 to $200 in Mississippi and $264 to $2,150 in Georgia. Each state's page lists every program with its price.

Does WIOA pay for job training? Who qualifies and how to apply

Other training by state

Approved programs per field across every state. Each opens that field's comparison by state.

Where the forklift program numbers by state come from

Which forklift programs are counted?

Programs each state approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), from the US Department of Labor's file for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025), covering programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).⁶ Schools that never applied for approval are missing.

What the figures for each state mean

Each figure is the middle program among those that report it: half did better, half did worse. Prices are what most programs cost if you pay yourself (the middle half). Earnings are for the second quarter after students left, times four. Where a figure is missing, the table says why: "Not reported", "Left out" or "Not enough data" (what each means).

Sources for the facts about forklift training

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Forklift certification by state