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Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Cincinnati, OH?

In the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $49,000 a year ($23.56 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 6,920 of these jobs there. That is 2% below the $50,170 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $37,920 and $73,440; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Indiana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $40,136 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Cincinnati, OH at a glance

Median salary

$49,000$23.56 per hour · $4,083 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$37,920$18.23/hr
25th percentile$41,700$20.05/hr
75th percentile$61,020$29.34/hr
90th percentile$73,440$35.31/hr
Jobs in this metro6,920Location quotient 1.26 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here2% belowAll-jobs median $50,170
Against Indiana7% aboveStatewide median $45,650
Against the U.S.6% 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 $49,000 a year leaves after tax in IndianaFederal tax, FICA and Indiana withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$24 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $49,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $49,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Indiana publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Indiana.

Forklift operator salary in Cincinnati, OH after taxes

$49,000
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$49,000
Net 82%
Fed 8%
IN 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$40,136After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,345Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,544Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,700 / yr
Indiana state income tax$1,416 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,749 / yr
Customize deductions in full Indiana calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Cincinnati, OH, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IN)
10th percentile$18.23/hr$3,160$37,920$31,560
25th percentile$20.05/hr$3,475$41,700$34,485
MedianMedian$23.56/hr$4,083$49,000$40,136
75th percentile$29.34/hr$5,085$61,020$49,439
90th percentile$35.31/hr$6,120$73,440$58,358

Is $49,000 a good salary in Cincinnati, OH?

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$81,120Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)95.44.6% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household60.4%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 Indiana metros

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

Forklift operator pay in Cincinnati, OH: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area was $49,000 in May 2025, about $4,083 a month or $23.56 an hour. Statewide, the Indiana median for this job is $45,650, so the metro pays 7% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN was $23.56 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $18.23 an hour and one in ten earned more than $35.31.

How many forklift operators work in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN?

BLS estimated 6,920 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 6.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.26 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN run from $37,920 at the 10th percentile to $41,700 at the 25th, $61,020 at the 75th, and $73,440 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN?

On a median gross salary of $49,000, an estimated $40,136 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,544 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Indiana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,865 (an effective rate of 18.1%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN?

On the median annual salary of $49,000, gross monthly income is $4,083. After federal, FICA, and Indiana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,345 per month (or $1,544 every two weeks).

Is $49,000 a good salary in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN?

At $49,000, the median salary for forklift operators is 60.4% of the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN median household income ($81,120). It is 2% below the $50,170 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 95.4, so prices here run 4.6% below the U.S. average.