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Bowling Green, KY metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Bowling Green, KY?

In the Bowling Green, KY metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $39,110 a year ($18.80 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 620 of these jobs there. That is 13% below the $45,040 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $33,640 and $57,580; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Kentucky tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $32,354 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Bowling Green, KY at a glance

Median salary

$39,110$18.80 per hour · $3,259 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$33,640$16.17/hr
25th percentile$35,420$17.03/hr
75th percentile$49,080$23.60/hr
90th percentile$57,580$27.68/hr
Jobs in this metro620Location quotient 1.51 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here13% belowAll-jobs median $45,040
Against Kentucky16% belowStatewide median $46,630
Against the U.S.16% belowNational 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 $39,000 a year leaves after tax in KentuckyFederal tax, FICA and Kentucky withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$19 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $39,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $39,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Kentucky publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Kentucky.

Forklift operator salary in Bowling Green, KY after taxes

$39,110
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$39,110
Net 83%
Fed 6%
KY 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$32,354After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,696Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,244Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,513 / yr
Kentucky state income tax$1,251 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,992 / yr
Customize deductions in full Kentucky calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Bowling Green, KY, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Bowling Green, KY metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (KY)
10th percentile$16.17/hr$2,803$33,640$28,150
25th percentile$17.03/hr$2,952$35,420$29,518
MedianMedian$18.80/hr$3,259$39,110$32,354
75th percentile$23.60/hr$4,090$49,080$40,016
90th percentile$27.68/hr$4,798$57,580$46,548

Is $39,110 a good salary in Bowling Green, KY?

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$63,328Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)90.29.8% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household61.8%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 Kentucky metros

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

Forklift operator pay in Bowling Green, KY: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Bowling Green, KY?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Bowling Green, KY metro area was $39,110 in May 2025, about $3,259 a month or $18.80 an hour. Statewide, the Kentucky median for this job is $46,630, so the metro pays 16% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Bowling Green, KY?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Bowling Green, KY was $18.80 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.17 an hour and one in ten earned more than $27.68.

How many forklift operators work in Bowling Green, KY?

BLS estimated 620 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 7.5 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.51 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Bowling Green, KY?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Bowling Green, KY run from $33,640 at the 10th percentile to $35,420 at the 25th, $49,080 at the 75th, and $57,580 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Bowling Green, KY?

On a median gross salary of $39,110, an estimated $32,354 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,244 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Kentucky in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,756 (an effective rate of 17.3%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Bowling Green, KY?

On the median annual salary of $39,110, gross monthly income is $3,259. After federal, FICA, and Kentucky state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,696 per month (or $1,244 every two weeks).

Is $39,110 a good salary in Bowling Green, KY?

At $39,110, the median salary for forklift operators is 61.8% of the Bowling Green, KY median household income ($63,328). It is 13% below the $45,040 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 90.2, so prices here run 9.8% below the U.S. average.