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Boulder, CO metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Boulder, CO?

In the Boulder, CO metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $48,260 a year ($23.20 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 31% below the $69,580 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $39,930 and $64,630; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Colorado tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $39,542 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Boulder, CO at a glance

Median salary

$48,260$23.20 per hour · $4,022 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$39,930$19.20/hr
25th percentile$44,340$21.32/hr
75th percentile$58,820$28.28/hr
90th percentile$64,630$31.07/hr
Jobs in this metro250Location quotient 0.26 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here31% belowAll-jobs median $69,580
Against Colorado5% belowStatewide median $50,570
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 ColoradoFederal tax, FICA and Colorado 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 Colorado publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Colorado.

Forklift operator salary in Boulder, CO after taxes

$48,260
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$48,260
Net 82%
Fed 7%
CO 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$39,542After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,295Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,521Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,611 / yr
Colorado state income tax$1,415 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,692 / yr
Customize deductions in full Colorado calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Boulder, CO, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Boulder, CO metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CO)
10th percentile$19.20/hr$3,328$39,930$33,215
25th percentile$21.32/hr$3,695$44,340$36,565
MedianMedian$23.20/hr$4,022$48,260$39,542
75th percentile$28.28/hr$4,902$58,820$47,562
90th percentile$31.07/hr$5,386$64,630$51,975

Is $48,260 a good salary in Boulder, CO?

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$103,994Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)105.25.2% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household46.4%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 Colorado metros

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

Forklift operator pay in Boulder, CO: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Boulder, CO?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Boulder, CO metro area was $48,260 in May 2025, about $4,022 a month or $23.20 an hour. Statewide, the Colorado median for this job is $50,570, so the metro pays 5% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Boulder, CO?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Boulder, CO was $23.20 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $19.20 an hour and one in ten earned more than $31.07.

How many forklift operators work in Boulder, CO?

BLS estimated 250 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 1.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.26 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Boulder, CO?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Boulder, CO run from $39,930 at the 10th percentile to $44,340 at the 25th, $58,820 at the 75th, and $64,630 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Boulder, CO?

On a median gross salary of $48,260, an estimated $39,542 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,521 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Colorado in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,718 (an effective rate of 18.1%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Boulder, CO?

On the median annual salary of $48,260, gross monthly income is $4,022. After federal, FICA, and Colorado state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,295 per month (or $1,521 every two weeks).

Is $48,260 a good salary in Boulder, CO?

At $48,260, the median salary for forklift operators is 46.4% of the Boulder, CO median household income ($103,994). It is 31% below the $69,580 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 105.2, so prices here run 5.2% above the U.S. average.