Bellingham, WA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Bellingham, WA?

In the Bellingham, WA metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $49,270 a year ($23.69 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 280 of these jobs there. That is 15% below the $57,820 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $39,700 and $63,330; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Washington tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $41,768 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Bellingham, WA at a glance

Median salary

$49,270$23.69 per hour · $4,106 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$39,700$19.09/hr
25th percentile$44,600$21.44/hr
75th percentile$51,340$24.69/hr
90th percentile$63,330$30.45/hr
Jobs in this metro280Location quotient 0.62 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here15% belowAll-jobs median $57,820
Against Washington1% belowStatewide median $49,910
Against the U.S.6% 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 Bellingham, WA after taxes

$49,270
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$49,270
Net 85%
Fed 8%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$41,768After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,481Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,606Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,732 / yr
Washington state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,769 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Bellingham, WA, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Bellingham, WA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WA)
10th percentile$19.09/hr$3,308$39,700$34,079
25th percentile$21.44/hr$3,717$44,600$38,016
MedianMedian$23.69/hr$4,106$49,270$41,768
75th percentile$24.69/hr$4,278$51,340$43,432
90th percentile$30.45/hr$5,278$63,330$53,066

Is $49,270 a good salary in Bellingham, WA?

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$81,784Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)103.33.3% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household60.2%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Bellingham, WA: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Bellingham, WA?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Bellingham, WA metro area was $49,270 in May 2025, about $4,106 a month or $23.69 an hour. Statewide, the Washington median for this job is $49,910, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Bellingham, WA?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Bellingham, WA was $23.69 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $19.09 an hour and one in ten earned more than $30.45.

How many forklift operators work in Bellingham, WA?

BLS estimated 280 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 3.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.62 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Bellingham, WA?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Bellingham, WA run from $39,700 at the 10th percentile to $44,600 at the 25th, $51,340 at the 75th, and $63,330 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Bellingham, WA?

On a median gross salary of $49,270, an estimated $41,768 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,606 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Washington in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,502 (an effective rate of 15.2%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Bellingham, WA?

On the median annual salary of $49,270, gross monthly income is $4,106. After federal, FICA, and Washington state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,481 per month (or $1,606 every two weeks).

Is $49,270 a good salary in Bellingham, WA?

At $49,270, the median salary for forklift operators is 60.2% of the Bellingham, WA median household income ($81,784). It is 15% below the $57,820 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 103.3, so prices here run 3.3% above the U.S. average.