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Birmingham, AL metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Birmingham, AL?

In the Birmingham, AL metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $48,570 a year ($23.35 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 4,100 of these jobs there. That is 2% above the $47,770 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $35,850 and $62,130; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Alabama tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $39,200 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Birmingham, AL at a glance

Median salary

$48,570$23.35 per hour · $4,048 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$35,850$17.24/hr
25th percentile$39,250$18.87/hr
75th percentile$51,000$24.52/hr
90th percentile$62,130$29.87/hr
Jobs in this metro4,100Location quotient 1.58 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here2% aboveAll-jobs median $47,770
Against Alabama8% aboveStatewide median $44,880
Against the U.S.5% aboveNational 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 $49,000 a year leaves after tax in AlabamaFederal tax, FICA and Alabama 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 $49,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $49,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Alabama publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Alabama.

Forklift operator salary in Birmingham, AL after taxes

$48,570
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$48,570
Net 81%
Fed 8%
AL 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$39,200After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,267Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,508Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,648 / yr
Alabama state income tax$2,006 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,716 / yr
Customize deductions in full Alabama calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Birmingham, AL, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Birmingham, AL metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (AL)
10th percentile$17.24/hr$2,988$35,850$29,539
25th percentile$18.87/hr$3,271$39,250$32,121
MedianMedian$23.35/hr$4,048$48,570$39,200
75th percentile$24.52/hr$4,250$51,000$41,046
90th percentile$29.87/hr$5,178$62,130$49,499

Is $48,570 a good salary in Birmingham, AL?

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$71,498Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)91.68.4% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household67.9%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 Alabama metros

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

Forklift operator pay in Birmingham, AL: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Birmingham, AL?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Birmingham, AL metro area was $48,570 in May 2025, about $4,048 a month or $23.35 an hour. Statewide, the Alabama median for this job is $44,880, so the metro pays 8% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Birmingham, AL?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Birmingham, AL was $23.35 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.24 an hour and one in ten earned more than $29.87.

How many forklift operators work in Birmingham, AL?

BLS estimated 4,100 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 7.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.58 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Birmingham, AL?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Birmingham, AL run from $35,850 at the 10th percentile to $39,250 at the 25th, $51,000 at the 75th, and $62,130 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Birmingham, AL?

On a median gross salary of $48,570, an estimated $39,200 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,508 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Alabama in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $9,370 (an effective rate of 19.3%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Birmingham, AL?

On the median annual salary of $48,570, gross monthly income is $4,048. After federal, FICA, and Alabama state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,267 per month (or $1,508 every two weeks).

Is $48,570 a good salary in Birmingham, AL?

At $48,570, the median salary for forklift operators is 67.9% of the Birmingham, AL median household income ($71,498). It is 2% above the $47,770 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 91.6, so prices here run 8.4% below the U.S. average.