Dalton, GA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Dalton, GA?

In the Dalton, GA metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $37,930 a year ($18.24 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 2,000 of these jobs there. That is 10% below the $42,210 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $33,180 and $42,280; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Georgia tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,513 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Dalton, GA at a glance

Median salary

$37,930$18.24 per hour · $3,161 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$33,180$15.95/hr
25th percentile$37,050$17.81/hr
75th percentile$39,260$18.88/hr
90th percentile$42,280$20.33/hr
Jobs in this metro2,000Location quotient 6.15 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here10% belowAll-jobs median $42,210
Against Georgia12% belowStatewide median $43,210
Against the U.S.18% 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 Dalton, GA after taxes

$37,930
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,930
Net 83%
Fed 6%
GA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,513After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,626Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,212Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,372 / yr
Georgia state income tax$1,144 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,902 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Dalton, GA, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Dalton, GA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (GA)
10th percentile$15.95/hr$2,765$33,180$27,933
25th percentile$17.81/hr$3,088$37,050$30,849
MedianMedian$18.24/hr$3,161$37,930$31,513
75th percentile$18.88/hr$3,272$39,260$32,515
90th percentile$20.33/hr$3,523$42,280$34,791

Is $37,930 a good salary in Dalton, GA?

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$67,846Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)89.810.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household55.9%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Dalton, GA: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Dalton, GA?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Dalton, GA metro area was $37,930 in May 2025, about $3,161 a month or $18.24 an hour. Statewide, the Georgia median for this job is $43,210, so the metro pays 12% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Dalton, GA?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Dalton, GA was $18.24 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $15.95 an hour and one in ten earned more than $20.33.

How many forklift operators work in Dalton, GA?

BLS estimated 2,000 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 30.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 6.15 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Dalton, GA?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Dalton, GA run from $33,180 at the 10th percentile to $37,050 at the 25th, $39,260 at the 75th, and $42,280 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Dalton, GA?

On a median gross salary of $37,930, an estimated $31,513 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,212 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Georgia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,417 (an effective rate of 16.9%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Dalton, GA?

On the median annual salary of $37,930, gross monthly income is $3,161. After federal, FICA, and Georgia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,626 per month (or $1,212 every two weeks).

Is $37,930 a good salary in Dalton, GA?

At $37,930, the median salary for forklift operators is 55.9% of the Dalton, GA median household income ($67,846). It is 10% below the $42,210 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 89.8, so prices here run 10.2% below the U.S. average.