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Decatur, IL metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Decatur, IL?

In the Decatur, IL metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $53,990 a year ($25.96 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 170 of these jobs there. That is 5% above the $51,290 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $37,560 and $60,080; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Illinois tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $43,033 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Decatur, IL at a glance

Median salary

$53,990$25.96 per hour · $4,499 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$37,560$18.06/hr
25th percentile$45,160$21.71/hr
75th percentile$58,720$28.23/hr
90th percentile$60,080$28.88/hr
Jobs in this metro170Location quotient 0.76 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here5% aboveAll-jobs median $51,290
Against Illinois13% aboveStatewide median $47,720
Against the U.S.16% aboveNational 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 $54,000 a year leaves after tax in IllinoisFederal tax, FICA and Illinois withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$26 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $54,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $54,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Illinois publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Illinois.

Forklift operator salary in Decatur, IL after taxes

$53,990
$20,000$110,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$53,990
Net 80%
Fed 8%
IL 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$43,033After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,586Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,655Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate20.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,299 / yr
Illinois state income tax$2,528 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,130 / yr
Customize deductions in full Illinois calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Decatur, IL, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Decatur, IL metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IL)
10th percentile$18.06/hr$3,130$37,560$30,645
25th percentile$21.71/hr$3,763$45,160$36,375
MedianMedian$25.96/hr$4,499$53,990$43,033
75th percentile$28.23/hr$4,893$58,720$46,600
90th percentile$28.88/hr$5,007$60,080$47,625

Is $53,990 a good salary in Decatur, IL?

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$62,666Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.411.6% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household86.2%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 Illinois metros

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

Forklift operator pay in Decatur, IL: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Decatur, IL?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Decatur, IL metro area was $53,990 in May 2025, about $4,499 a month or $25.96 an hour. Statewide, the Illinois median for this job is $47,720, so the metro pays 13% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Decatur, IL?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Decatur, IL was $25.96 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $18.06 an hour and one in ten earned more than $28.88.

How many forklift operators work in Decatur, IL?

BLS estimated 170 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 3.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.76 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Decatur, IL?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Decatur, IL run from $37,560 at the 10th percentile to $45,160 at the 25th, $58,720 at the 75th, and $60,080 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Decatur, IL?

On a median gross salary of $53,990, an estimated $43,033 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,655 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Illinois in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $10,957 (an effective rate of 20.3%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Decatur, IL?

On the median annual salary of $53,990, gross monthly income is $4,499. After federal, FICA, and Illinois state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,586 per month (or $1,655 every two weeks).

Is $53,990 a good salary in Decatur, IL?

At $53,990, the median salary for forklift operators is 86.2% of the Decatur, IL median household income ($62,666). It is 5% above the $51,290 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.4, so prices here run 11.6% below the U.S. average.