Abilene, TX metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Abilene, TX?

In the Abilene, TX metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $37,970 a year ($18.26 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 170 of these jobs there. That is 14% below the $44,340 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $30,870 and $51,110; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Texas tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $32,689 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Abilene, TX at a glance

Median salary

$37,970$18.26 per hour · $3,164 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$30,870$14.84/hr
25th percentile$34,230$16.46/hr
75th percentile$45,640$21.94/hr
90th percentile$51,110$24.57/hr
Jobs in this metro170Location quotient 0.46 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here14% belowAll-jobs median $44,340
Against Texas16% belowStatewide median $45,450
Against the U.S.18% belowNational median $46,420

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Forklift operator salary in Abilene, TX after taxes

$37,970
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,970
Net 86%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$32,689After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,724Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,257Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,376 / yr
Texas state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,905 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Abilene, TX, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Abilene, TX metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What forklift operators earned in the Abilene, TX metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (TX)
10th percentile$14.84/hr$2,573$30,870$26,984
25th percentile$16.46/hr$2,853$34,230$29,684
MedianMedian$18.26/hr$3,164$37,970$32,689
75th percentile$21.94/hr$3,803$45,640$38,852
90th percentile$24.57/hr$4,259$51,110$43,247

Is $37,970 a good salary in Abilene, TX?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for forklift operators next to both.

Median household income$67,328Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)90.49.6% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household56.4%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Forklift operator pay in Abilene, TX: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Abilene, TX?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Abilene, TX metro area was $37,970 in May 2025, about $3,164 a month or $18.26 an hour. Statewide, the Texas median for this job is $45,450, so the metro pays 16% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Abilene, TX?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Abilene, TX was $18.26 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.84 an hour and one in ten earned more than $24.57.

How many forklift operators work in Abilene, TX?

BLS estimated 170 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 2.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.46 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Abilene, TX?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Abilene, TX run from $30,870 at the 10th percentile to $34,230 at the 25th, $45,640 at the 75th, and $51,110 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Abilene, TX?

On a median gross salary of $37,970, an estimated $32,689 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,257 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Texas in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,281 (an effective rate of 13.9%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Abilene, TX?

On the median annual salary of $37,970, gross monthly income is $3,164. After federal, FICA, and Texas state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,724 per month (or $1,257 every two weeks).

Is $37,970 a good salary in Abilene, TX?

At $37,970, the median salary for forklift operators is 56.4% of the Abilene, TX median household income ($67,328). It is 14% below the $44,340 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 90.4, so prices here run 9.6% below the U.S. average.