Charleston, WV metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Charleston, WV?

In the Charleston, WV metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $43,570 a year ($20.95 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 100 of these jobs there. That is 5% below the $45,830 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $33,820 and $50,650; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and West Virginia tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $36,016 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Charleston, WV at a glance

Median salary

$43,570$20.95 per hour · $3,631 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$33,820$16.26/hr
25th percentile$36,850$17.72/hr
75th percentile$45,980$22.10/hr
90th percentile$50,650$24.35/hr
Jobs in this metro100Location quotient 0.20 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here5% belowAll-jobs median $45,830
Against West Virginia5% aboveStatewide median $41,670
Against the U.S.6% 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.

Forklift operator salary in Charleston, WV after taxes

$43,570
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$43,570
Net 83%
Fed 7%
WV 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$36,016After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,001Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,385Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,048 / yr
West Virginia state income tax$1,173 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,333 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Charleston, WV, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Charleston, WV metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WV)
10th percentile$16.26/hr$2,818$33,820$28,506
25th percentile$17.72/hr$3,071$36,850$30,845
MedianMedian$20.95/hr$3,631$43,570$36,016
75th percentile$22.10/hr$3,832$45,980$37,850
90th percentile$24.35/hr$4,221$50,650$41,406

Is $43,570 a good salary in Charleston, WV?

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$60,117Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.711.3% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household72.5%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Charleston, WV: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Charleston, WV?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Charleston, WV metro area was $43,570 in May 2025, about $3,631 a month or $20.95 an hour. Statewide, the West Virginia median for this job is $41,670, so the metro pays 5% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Charleston, WV?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Charleston, WV was $20.95 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.26 an hour and one in ten earned more than $24.35.

How many forklift operators work in Charleston, WV?

BLS estimated 100 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 1.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.20 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Charleston, WV?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Charleston, WV run from $33,820 at the 10th percentile to $36,850 at the 25th, $45,980 at the 75th, and $50,650 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Charleston, WV?

On a median gross salary of $43,570, an estimated $36,016 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,385 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in West Virginia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,554 (an effective rate of 17.3%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Charleston, WV?

On the median annual salary of $43,570, gross monthly income is $3,631. After federal, FICA, and West Virginia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,001 per month (or $1,385 every two weeks).

Is $43,570 a good salary in Charleston, WV?

At $43,570, the median salary for forklift operators is 72.5% of the Charleston, WV median household income ($60,117). It is 5% below the $45,830 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.7, so prices here run 11.3% below the U.S. average.