Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Chattanooga, TN?

In the Chattanooga, TN-GA metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $40,260 a year ($19.36 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,670 of these jobs there. That is 14% below the $46,700 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $37,290 and $47,490; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Georgia tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $33,268 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Chattanooga, TN at a glance

Median salary

$40,260$19.36 per hour · $3,355 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$37,290$17.93/hr
25th percentile$38,150$18.34/hr
75th percentile$42,530$20.45/hr
90th percentile$47,490$22.83/hr
Jobs in this metro1,670Location quotient 1.25 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here14% belowAll-jobs median $46,700
Against Georgia7% belowStatewide median $43,210
Against the U.S.13% 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 Chattanooga, TN after taxes

$40,260
$15,000$85,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$40,260
Net 83%
Fed 7%
GA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$33,268After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,772Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,280Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,651 / yr
Georgia state income tax$1,260 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,080 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Chattanooga, TN, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (GA)
10th percentile$17.93/hr$3,108$37,290$31,030
25th percentile$18.34/hr$3,179$38,150$31,678
MedianMedian$19.36/hr$3,355$40,260$33,268
75th percentile$20.45/hr$3,544$42,530$34,979
90th percentile$22.83/hr$3,958$47,490$38,717

Is $40,260 a good salary in Chattanooga, TN?

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$72,161Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)91.58.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household55.8%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Chattanooga, TN: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Chattanooga, TN-GA?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area was $40,260 in May 2025, about $3,355 a month or $19.36 an hour. Statewide, the Georgia median for this job is $43,210, so the metro pays 7% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Chattanooga, TN-GA?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Chattanooga, TN-GA was $19.36 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.93 an hour and one in ten earned more than $22.83.

How many forklift operators work in Chattanooga, TN-GA?

BLS estimated 1,670 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 6.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.25 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Chattanooga, TN-GA?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Chattanooga, TN-GA run from $37,290 at the 10th percentile to $38,150 at the 25th, $42,530 at the 75th, and $47,490 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Chattanooga, TN-GA?

On a median gross salary of $40,260, an estimated $33,268 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,280 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Georgia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,992 (an effective rate of 17.4%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Chattanooga, TN-GA?

On the median annual salary of $40,260, gross monthly income is $3,355. After federal, FICA, and Georgia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,772 per month (or $1,280 every two weeks).

Is $40,260 a good salary in Chattanooga, TN-GA?

At $40,260, the median salary for forklift operators is 55.8% of the Chattanooga, TN-GA median household income ($72,161). It is 14% below the $46,700 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 91.5, so prices here run 8.5% below the U.S. average.