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Champaign-Urbana, IL metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Champaign-Urbana, IL?

In the Champaign-Urbana, IL metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $44,130 a year ($21.22 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 13% below the $50,700 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $36,590 and $58,630; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Illinois tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $35,599 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Champaign-Urbana, IL at a glance

Median salary

$44,130$21.22 per hour · $3,678 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$36,590$17.59/hr
25th percentile$37,530$18.04/hr
75th percentile$47,990$23.07/hr
90th percentile$58,630$28.19/hr
Jobs in this metro250Location quotient 0.48 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here13% belowAll-jobs median $50,700
Against Illinois8% belowStatewide median $47,720
Against the U.S.5% 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 $44,000 a year leaves after tax in IllinoisFederal tax, FICA and Illinois withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$21 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $44,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $44,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Illinois publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Illinois.

Forklift operator salary in Champaign-Urbana, IL after taxes

$44,130
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$44,130
Net 81%
Fed 7%
IL 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$35,599After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,967Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,369Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,116 / yr
Illinois state income tax$2,040 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,376 / yr
Customize deductions in full Illinois calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Champaign-Urbana, IL, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Champaign-Urbana, IL metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IL)
10th percentile$17.59/hr$3,049$36,590$29,914
25th percentile$18.04/hr$3,128$37,530$30,622
MedianMedian$21.22/hr$3,678$44,130$35,599
75th percentile$23.07/hr$3,999$47,990$38,509
90th percentile$28.19/hr$4,886$58,630$46,532

Is $44,130 a good salary in Champaign-Urbana, IL?

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$65,528Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)92.77.3% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household67.3%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 Illinois metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Champaign-Urbana, IL. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Forklift operator pay in Champaign-Urbana, IL: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Champaign-Urbana, IL?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Champaign-Urbana, IL metro area was $44,130 in May 2025, about $3,678 a month or $21.22 an hour. Statewide, the Illinois median for this job is $47,720, so the metro pays 8% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Champaign-Urbana, IL?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Champaign-Urbana, IL was $21.22 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.59 an hour and one in ten earned more than $28.19.

How many forklift operators work in Champaign-Urbana, IL?

BLS estimated 250 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 2.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.48 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Champaign-Urbana, IL?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Champaign-Urbana, IL run from $36,590 at the 10th percentile to $37,530 at the 25th, $47,990 at the 75th, and $58,630 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Champaign-Urbana, IL?

On a median gross salary of $44,130, an estimated $35,599 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,369 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Illinois in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,531 (an effective rate of 19.3%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Champaign-Urbana, IL?

On the median annual salary of $44,130, gross monthly income is $3,678. After federal, FICA, and Illinois state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,967 per month (or $1,369 every two weeks).

Is $44,130 a good salary in Champaign-Urbana, IL?

At $44,130, the median salary for forklift operators is 67.3% of the Champaign-Urbana, IL median household income ($65,528). It is 13% below the $50,700 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 92.7, so prices here run 7.3% below the U.S. average.