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Cleveland, OH metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

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

In the Cleveland, OH metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $46,090 a year ($22.16 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 5,480 of these jobs there. That is 8% below the $50,140 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $38,400 and $65,330; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Ohio tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $38,389 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Cleveland, OH at a glance

Median salary

$46,090$22.16 per hour · $3,841 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$38,400$18.46/hr
25th percentile$42,960$20.65/hr
75th percentile$63,330$30.45/hr
90th percentile$65,330$31.41/hr
Jobs in this metro5,480Location quotient 1.07 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here8% belowAll-jobs median $50,140
Against Ohio1% belowStatewide median $46,450
Against the U.S.1% 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 $46,000 a year leaves after tax in OhioFederal tax, FICA and Ohio withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$22 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $46,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $46,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Ohio publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Ohio.

Forklift operator salary in Cleveland, OH after taxes

$46,090
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$46,090
Net 83%
Fed 7%
OH 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$38,389After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,199Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,477Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,351 / yr
Ohio state income tax$824 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,526 / yr
Customize deductions in full Ohio calculator

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

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

What forklift operators earned in the Cleveland, OH metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (OH)
10th percentile$18.46/hr$3,200$38,400$32,429
25th percentile$20.65/hr$3,580$42,960$35,960
MedianMedian$22.16/hr$3,841$46,090$38,389
75th percentile$30.45/hr$5,278$63,330$51,768
90th percentile$31.41/hr$5,444$65,330$53,320

Is $46,090 a good salary in Cleveland, 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$70,678Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)93.96.1% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household65.2%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 Ohio metros

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

Forklift operator pay in Cleveland, OH: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Cleveland, OH?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Cleveland, OH metro area was $46,090 in May 2025, about $3,841 a month or $22.16 an hour. Statewide, the Ohio median for this job is $46,450, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Cleveland, OH?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Cleveland, OH was $22.16 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $18.46 an hour and one in ten earned more than $31.41.

How many forklift operators work in Cleveland, OH?

BLS estimated 5,480 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 5.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.07 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Cleveland, OH?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Cleveland, OH run from $38,400 at the 10th percentile to $42,960 at the 25th, $63,330 at the 75th, and $65,330 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Cleveland, OH?

On a median gross salary of $46,090, an estimated $38,389 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,477 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Ohio in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,701 (an effective rate of 16.7%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Cleveland, OH?

On the median annual salary of $46,090, gross monthly income is $3,841. After federal, FICA, and Ohio state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,199 per month (or $1,477 every two weeks).

Is $46,090 a good salary in Cleveland, OH?

At $46,090, the median salary for forklift operators is 65.2% of the Cleveland, OH median household income ($70,678). It is 8% below the $50,140 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 93.9, so prices here run 6.1% below the U.S. average.