Ann Arbor, MI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Ann Arbor, MI?

In the Ann Arbor, MI metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $48,340 a year ($23.24 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 250 of these jobs there. That is 13% below the $55,380 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $38,550 and $77,050; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Michigan tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $39,217 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Ann Arbor, MI at a glance

Median salary

$48,340$23.24 per hour · $4,028 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$38,550$18.53/hr
25th percentile$39,370$18.93/hr
75th percentile$64,630$31.07/hr
90th percentile$77,050$37.04/hr
Jobs in this metro250Location quotient 0.23 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here13% belowAll-jobs median $55,380
Against Michigan7% aboveStatewide median $45,220
Against the U.S.4% 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 Ann Arbor, MI after taxes

$48,340
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$48,340
Net 81%
Fed 7%
MI 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$39,217After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,268Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,508Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,621 / yr
Michigan state income tax$1,804 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,698 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Ann Arbor, MI, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Ann Arbor, MI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MI)
10th percentile$18.53/hr$3,213$38,550$31,767
25th percentile$18.93/hr$3,281$39,370$32,391
MedianMedian$23.24/hr$4,028$48,340$39,217
75th percentile$31.07/hr$5,386$64,630$51,614
90th percentile$37.04/hr$6,421$77,050$60,011

Is $48,340 a good salary in Ann Arbor, MI?

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$89,180Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)100.90.9% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household54.2%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Ann Arbor, MI: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Ann Arbor, MI?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Ann Arbor, MI metro area was $48,340 in May 2025, about $4,028 a month or $23.24 an hour. Statewide, the Michigan median for this job is $45,220, so the metro pays 7% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Ann Arbor, MI?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Ann Arbor, MI was $23.24 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $18.53 an hour and one in ten earned more than $37.04.

How many forklift operators work in Ann Arbor, MI?

BLS estimated 250 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 1.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.23 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Ann Arbor, MI?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Ann Arbor, MI run from $38,550 at the 10th percentile to $39,370 at the 25th, $64,630 at the 75th, and $77,050 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Ann Arbor, MI?

On a median gross salary of $48,340, an estimated $39,217 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,508 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Michigan in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $9,123 (an effective rate of 18.9%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Ann Arbor, MI?

On the median annual salary of $48,340, gross monthly income is $4,028. After federal, FICA, and Michigan state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,268 per month (or $1,508 every two weeks).

Is $48,340 a good salary in Ann Arbor, MI?

At $48,340, the median salary for forklift operators is 54.2% of the Ann Arbor, MI median household income ($89,180). It is 13% below the $55,380 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 100.9, so prices here run 0.9% above the U.S. average.