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Columbia, SC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Columbia, SC?

In the Columbia, SC metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $43,500 a year ($20.91 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,930 of these jobs there. That is 6% below the $46,430 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $35,980 and $57,420; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and South Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $36,546 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Columbia, SC at a glance

Median salary

$43,500$20.91 per hour · $3,625 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$35,980$17.30/hr
25th percentile$38,080$18.31/hr
75th percentile$48,260$23.20/hr
90th percentile$57,420$27.60/hr
Jobs in this metro1,930Location quotient 0.98 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here6% belowAll-jobs median $46,430
Against South Carolinaabout the same asStatewide median $43,680
Against the U.S.6% belowNational median $46,420

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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 South CarolinaFederal tax, FICA and South Carolina 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 South Carolina publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about South Carolina.

Forklift operator salary in Columbia, SC after taxes

$43,500
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$43,500
Net 84%
Fed 7%
SC 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$36,546After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,046Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,406Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,040 / yr
South Carolina state income tax$586 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,328 / yr
Customize deductions in full South Carolina calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Columbia, SC, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Columbia, SC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (SC)
10th percentile$17.30/hr$2,998$35,980$30,672
25th percentile$18.31/hr$3,173$38,080$32,318
MedianMedian$20.91/hr$3,625$43,500$36,546
75th percentile$23.20/hr$4,022$48,260$40,073
90th percentile$27.60/hr$4,785$57,420$46,825

Is $43,500 a good salary in Columbia, SC?

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$68,359Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)93.76.3% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household63.6%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 South Carolina metros

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

Forklift operator pay in Columbia, SC: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Columbia, SC?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Columbia, SC metro area was $43,500 in May 2025, about $3,625 a month or $20.91 an hour. Statewide, the South Carolina median for this job is $43,680, so the metro pays about the same as the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Columbia, SC?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Columbia, SC was $20.91 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.30 an hour and one in ten earned more than $27.60.

How many forklift operators work in Columbia, SC?

BLS estimated 1,930 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 4.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.98 means the job is about as common here as in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Columbia, SC?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Columbia, SC run from $35,980 at the 10th percentile to $38,080 at the 25th, $48,260 at the 75th, and $57,420 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Columbia, SC?

On a median gross salary of $43,500, an estimated $36,546 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,406 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in South Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,954 (an effective rate of 16%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Columbia, SC?

On the median annual salary of $43,500, gross monthly income is $3,625. After federal, FICA, and South Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,046 per month (or $1,406 every two weeks).

Is $43,500 a good salary in Columbia, SC?

At $43,500, the median salary for forklift operators is 63.6% of the Columbia, SC median household income ($68,359). It is 6% below the $46,430 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 93.7, so prices here run 6.3% below the U.S. average.