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Baton Rouge, LA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Baton Rouge, LA?

In the Baton Rouge, LA metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $48,160 a year ($23.15 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,410 of these jobs there. That is 1% below the $48,710 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $36,850 and $61,270; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Louisiana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $39,818 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Baton Rouge, LA at a glance

Median salary

$48,160$23.15 per hour · $4,013 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$36,850$17.72/hr
25th percentile$41,200$19.81/hr
75th percentile$61,230$29.44/hr
90th percentile$61,270$29.46/hr
Jobs in this metro1,410Location quotient 0.69 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here1% belowAll-jobs median $48,710
Against Louisiana2% belowStatewide median $48,950
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.

Take-home payWhat $48,000 a year leaves after tax in LouisianaFederal tax, FICA and Louisiana withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$23 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $48,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $48,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Louisiana publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Louisiana.

Forklift operator salary in Baton Rouge, LA after taxes

$48,160
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$48,160
Net 83%
Fed 7%
LA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$39,818After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,318Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,531Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,599 / yr
Louisiana state income tax$1,059 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,684 / yr
Customize deductions in full Louisiana calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Baton Rouge, LA, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Baton Rouge, LA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (LA)
10th percentile$17.72/hr$3,071$36,850$31,070
25th percentile$19.81/hr$3,433$41,200$34,434
MedianMedian$23.15/hr$4,013$48,160$39,818
75th percentile$29.44/hr$5,103$61,230$49,928
90th percentile$29.46/hr$5,106$61,270$49,959

Is $48,160 a good salary in Baton Rouge, LA?

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$69,599Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)90.89.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household69.2%of area median income

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

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Forklift operators pay in other Louisiana metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Baton Rouge, LA. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Forklift operator pay in Baton Rouge, LA: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Baton Rouge, LA?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Baton Rouge, LA metro area was $48,160 in May 2025, about $4,013 a month or $23.15 an hour. Statewide, the Louisiana median for this job is $48,950, so the metro pays 2% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Baton Rouge, LA?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Baton Rouge, LA was $23.15 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.72 an hour and one in ten earned more than $29.46.

How many forklift operators work in Baton Rouge, LA?

BLS estimated 1,410 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 3.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.69 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Baton Rouge, LA?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Baton Rouge, LA run from $36,850 at the 10th percentile to $41,200 at the 25th, $61,230 at the 75th, and $61,270 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Baton Rouge, LA?

On a median gross salary of $48,160, an estimated $39,818 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,531 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Louisiana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,342 (an effective rate of 17.3%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Baton Rouge, LA?

On the median annual salary of $48,160, gross monthly income is $4,013. After federal, FICA, and Louisiana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,318 per month (or $1,531 every two weeks).

Is $48,160 a good salary in Baton Rouge, LA?

At $48,160, the median salary for forklift operators is 69.2% of the Baton Rouge, LA median household income ($69,599). It is 1% below the $48,710 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 90.8, so prices here run 9.2% below the U.S. average.