Albuquerque, NM metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Albuquerque, NM?

In the Albuquerque, NM metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $62,150 a year ($29.88 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,940 of these jobs there. That is 29% above the $48,060 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $38,500 and $65,090; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and New Mexico tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $50,346 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Albuquerque, NM at a glance

Median salary

$62,150$29.88 per hour · $5,179 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$38,500$18.51/hr
25th percentile$49,410$23.75/hr
75th percentile$62,150$29.88/hr
90th percentile$65,090$31.29/hr
Jobs in this metro1,940Location quotient 0.96 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here29% aboveAll-jobs median $48,060
Against New Mexicoabout the same asStatewide median $62,150
Against the U.S.34% aboveNational 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 Albuquerque, NM after taxes

$62,150
$20,000$125,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$62,150
Net 81%
Fed 8%
NM 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$50,346After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,195Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,936Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,278 / yr
New Mexico state income tax$1,772 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,754 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Albuquerque, NM, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Albuquerque, NM metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NM)
10th percentile$18.51/hr$3,208$38,500$32,412
25th percentile$23.75/hr$4,118$49,410$40,708
MedianMedian$29.88/hr$5,179$62,150$50,346
75th percentile$29.88/hr$5,179$62,150$50,346
90th percentile$31.29/hr$5,424$65,090$52,570

Is $62,150 a good salary in Albuquerque, NM?

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$70,783Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)95.54.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household87.8%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Albuquerque, NM: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Albuquerque, NM?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Albuquerque, NM metro area was $62,150 in May 2025, about $5,179 a month or $29.88 an hour. Statewide, the New Mexico median for this job is $62,150, so the metro pays about the same as the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Albuquerque, NM?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Albuquerque, NM was $29.88 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $18.51 an hour and one in ten earned more than $31.29.

How many forklift operators work in Albuquerque, NM?

BLS estimated 1,940 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 4.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.96 means the job is about as common here as in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Albuquerque, NM?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Albuquerque, NM run from $38,500 at the 10th percentile to $49,410 at the 25th, $62,150 at the 75th, and $65,090 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Albuquerque, NM?

On a median gross salary of $62,150, an estimated $50,346 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,936 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in New Mexico in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $11,804 (an effective rate of 19%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Albuquerque, NM?

On the median annual salary of $62,150, gross monthly income is $5,179. After federal, FICA, and New Mexico state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $4,195 per month (or $1,936 every two weeks).

Is $62,150 a good salary in Albuquerque, NM?

At $62,150, the median salary for forklift operators is 87.8% of the Albuquerque, NM median household income ($70,783). It is 29% above the $48,060 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 95.5, so prices here run 4.5% below the U.S. average.