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Cleveland, TN metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

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

In the Cleveland, TN metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $43,020 a year ($20.68 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 360 of these jobs there. That is 7% above the $40,230 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $29,880 and $48,030; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Tennessee tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $36,747 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Cleveland, TN at a glance

Median salary

$43,020$20.68 per hour · $3,585 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$29,880$14.37/hr
25th percentile$36,700$17.64/hr
75th percentile$44,990$21.63/hr
90th percentile$48,030$23.09/hr
Jobs in this metro360Location quotient 1.67 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here7% aboveAll-jobs median $40,230
Against Tennessee2% aboveStatewide median $42,100
Against the U.S.7% 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 $43,000 a year leaves after tax in TennesseeFederal tax, FICA and Tennessee 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 $43,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $43,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Tennessee publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Tennessee.

Forklift operator salary in Cleveland, TN after taxes

$43,020
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$43,020
Net 85%
Fed 7%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$36,747After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,062Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,413Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,982 / yr
Tennessee state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,291 / yr
Customize deductions in full Tennessee calculator

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

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

What forklift operators earned in the Cleveland, TN metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (TN)
10th percentile$14.37/hr$2,490$29,880$26,189
25th percentile$17.64/hr$3,058$36,700$31,668
MedianMedian$20.68/hr$3,585$43,020$36,747
75th percentile$21.63/hr$3,749$44,990$38,329
90th percentile$23.09/hr$4,003$48,030$40,772

Is $43,020 a good salary in Cleveland, 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$66,135Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.111.9% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household65%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 Tennessee metros

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

Forklift operator pay in Cleveland, TN: common questions

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

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Cleveland, TN metro area was $43,020 in May 2025, about $3,585 a month or $20.68 an hour. Statewide, the Tennessee median for this job is $42,100, so the metro pays 2% above the state.

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

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Cleveland, TN was $20.68 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.37 an hour and one in ten earned more than $23.09.

How many forklift operators work in Cleveland, TN?

BLS estimated 360 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 8.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.67 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

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

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Cleveland, TN run from $29,880 at the 10th percentile to $36,700 at the 25th, $44,990 at the 75th, and $48,030 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

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

On a median gross salary of $43,020, an estimated $36,747 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,413 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Tennessee in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,273 (an effective rate of 14.6%).

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

On the median annual salary of $43,020, gross monthly income is $3,585. After federal, FICA, and Tennessee state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,062 per month (or $1,413 every two weeks).

Is $43,020 a good salary in Cleveland, TN?

At $43,020, the median salary for forklift operators is 65% of the Cleveland, TN median household income ($66,135). It is 7% above the $40,230 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.1, so prices here run 11.9% below the U.S. average.