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Beckley, WV metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Beckley, WV?

In the Beckley, WV metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $37,980 a year ($18.26 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 30 of these jobs there. That is 9% below the $41,850 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $27,700 and $49,030; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and West Virginia tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,717 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Beckley, WV at a glance

Median salary

$37,980$18.26 per hour · $3,165 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$27,700$13.32/hr
25th percentile$35,060$16.86/hr
75th percentile$44,600$21.44/hr
90th percentile$49,030$23.57/hr
Jobs in this metro30Location quotient 0.14 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here9% belowAll-jobs median $41,850
Against West Virginia9% belowStatewide median $41,670
Against the U.S.18% belowNational median $46,420

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

Take-home payWhat $38,000 a year leaves after tax in West VirginiaFederal tax, FICA and West Virginia withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$18 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $38,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $38,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation West Virginia publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about West Virginia.

Forklift operator salary in Beckley, WV after taxes

$37,980
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,980
Net 84%
Fed 6%
WV 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,717After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,643Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,220Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,378 / yr
West Virginia state income tax$979 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,905 / yr
Customize deductions in full West Virginia calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Beckley, WV, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Beckley, WV metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WV)
10th percentile$13.32/hr$2,308$27,700$23,766
25th percentile$16.86/hr$2,922$35,060$29,464
MedianMedian$18.26/hr$3,165$37,980$31,717
75th percentile$21.44/hr$3,717$44,600$36,800
90th percentile$23.57/hr$4,086$49,030$40,172

Is $37,980 a good salary in Beckley, WV?

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$52,620Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.411.6% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household72.2%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 West Virginia metros

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

Forklift operator pay in Beckley, WV: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Beckley, WV?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Beckley, WV metro area was $37,980 in May 2025, about $3,165 a month or $18.26 an hour. Statewide, the West Virginia median for this job is $41,670, so the metro pays 9% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Beckley, WV?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Beckley, WV was $18.26 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.32 an hour and one in ten earned more than $23.57.

How many forklift operators work in Beckley, WV?

BLS estimated 30 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 0.7 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.14 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Beckley, WV?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Beckley, WV run from $27,700 at the 10th percentile to $35,060 at the 25th, $44,600 at the 75th, and $49,030 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Beckley, WV?

On a median gross salary of $37,980, an estimated $31,717 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,220 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in West Virginia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,263 (an effective rate of 16.5%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Beckley, WV?

On the median annual salary of $37,980, gross monthly income is $3,165. After federal, FICA, and West Virginia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,643 per month (or $1,220 every two weeks).

Is $37,980 a good salary in Beckley, WV?

At $37,980, the median salary for forklift operators is 72.2% of the Beckley, WV median household income ($52,620). It is 9% below the $41,850 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.4, so prices here run 11.6% below the U.S. average.