Forklift certification in Pennsylvania

5 forklift programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

4 schools offer these forklift programs, and Pennsylvania has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

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

In Pennsylvania, 3 of the 5 programs take students without a high school diploma and 2 ask for earlier courses first.

By kind, the 5 programs here are forklift certification course (4 programs) and forklift and warehouse course (1 program).

See the 5 programs

How much does forklift certification cost in Pennsylvania?

$125 to $600

is what the 4 programs with a price cost if you pay yourself

In the typical program

Finished the program: Not enough data; 3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later: Left out; Pennsylvania's rates sit far below every other state's
Earned a year, estimated: Not enough data; 1 program reports it; a typical figure needs 5
Length: 1 week

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Pennsylvania may also offer forklift training. How these figures are made

Is there free forklift training in Pennsylvania?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.²³⁴In program year 2024 it paid toward the training of at least 12 people at 1 of the 5 programs here.
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. These programs cost $125 to $600.

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 5 forklift programs in Pennsylvania approved for WIOA funding

5 programs

Forklift certification courseOnlineNo diploma needed
Forklift Operator Training
York County School Of Technology
Based in York, PA
Accredited school
No diploma needed
York County School Of Technology, based in York, PAForklift certification course · Accredited schoolOnline · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimated$45,600
Price if you pay yourself$200
More details about Forklift Operator Training at York County School Of Technology
Finished
100%
Working at 6 months
Left out
Earned in a quarter
$11,406
Length
1 week, 6 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
122
Earned a year, estimated
$45,600
Price if you pay yourself
$200
Forklift and warehouse courseOnlineNo diploma needed
Logistics & Forklift Safety Training (24 Hours)
Lehigh Career & Technical Institute
Based in Schnecksville, PA
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Lehigh Career & Technical Institute, based in Schnecksville, PAForklift and warehouse course · Accredited schoolOnline · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$600
12 students trained with WIOA funding
Program website, Logistics & Forklift Safety Training (24 Hours) at Lehigh Career & Technical Institute
More details about Logistics & Forklift Safety Training (24 Hours) at Lehigh Career & Technical Institute
Finished
98%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
2 weeks, 12 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$100
Students counted
47
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$600
students trained with WIOA funding
12
Program website, Logistics & Forklift Safety Training (24 Hours) at Lehigh Career & Technical Institute
Forklift certification courseOnlineNo diploma needed
Fork Lift Training
Lebanon County Career & Technology Center
Based in Lebanon, PA
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Lebanon County Career & Technology Center, based in Lebanon, PAForklift certification course · Accredited schoolOnline · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$150
More details about Fork Lift Training at Lebanon County Career & Technology Center
Finished
100%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
1 week, 6 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$1
Students counted
22
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$150
Forklift certification courseOnlineEducation and courses
Forklift Skills (Sit-down)
Harrisburg Area Community College
Based in Lancaster, PA
Accredited school
Education and courses
Harrisburg Area Community College, based in Lancaster, PAForklift certification course · Accredited schoolOnline · Education and courses
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$125
Program website, Forklift Skills (Sit-down) at Harrisburg Area Community College
More details about Forklift Skills (Sit-down) at Harrisburg Area Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
1 week, 3 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$125
Program website, Forklift Skills (Sit-down) at Harrisburg Area Community College
Forklift certification courseHybridEducation and courses
Forklift Training Prep Class
Harrisburg Area Community College
Lancaster
Accredited school
Education and courses
Harrisburg Area Community College, LancasterForklift certification course · Accredited schoolHybrid · Education and courses
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
Program website, Forklift Training Prep Class at Harrisburg Area Community College
More details about Forklift Training Prep Class at Harrisburg Area Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
1 week, 2 hours a week
Cost of supplies
Not reported
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
Left out
Program website, Forklift Training Prep Class at Harrisburg Area Community College

How to pay for forklift training in Pennsylvania

WIOA funding can pay for forklift training in Pennsylvania

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for forklift training

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.⁶⁷

GI Bill for forklift training

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.⁸

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Other training in Pennsylvania

How forklift training compares with the rest of transportation and logistics: Transportation and logistics training in Pennsylvania

Where the Pennsylvania forklift program numbers come from

Which Pennsylvania forklift programs are on this list?

These are the forklift programs Pennsylvania approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).⁹ The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Pennsylvania offers.

How the prices and results of Pennsylvania forklift programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

How reliable are the Pennsylvania figures?

We leave out the share working 6 months later for Pennsylvania: its rates sit far below every other state's, and the counts suggest jobs were traced only for students whose training was publicly paid.

Sources for the facts about forklift training in Pennsylvania

Show the 9 sourcesHide the sources

Nursing and patient care

Medical office and lab

General healthcare

Skilled trades

Transportation and logistics

Computers and IT

Business and office

Beauty and personal care

Public safety

Food and hospitality

Education and social services