Dover, DE metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Dover, DE?

In the Dover, DE metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $46,210 a year ($22.22 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 500 of these jobs there. That is 1% below the $46,690 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $35,760 and $58,730; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Delaware tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $37,422 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Dover, DE at a glance

Median salary

$46,210$22.22 per hour · $3,851 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$35,760$17.19/hr
25th percentile$39,920$19.19/hr
75th percentile$51,800$24.90/hr
90th percentile$58,730$28.24/hr
Jobs in this metro500Location quotient 1.47 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here1% belowAll-jobs median $46,690
Against Delaware23% belowStatewide median $60,350
Against the U.S.about the same asNational 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 Dover, DE after taxes

$46,210
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$46,210
Net 81%
Fed 7%
DE 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$37,422After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,119Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,439Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,365 / yr
Delaware state income tax$1,888 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,535 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Dover, DE, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Dover, DE metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (DE)
10th percentile$17.19/hr$2,980$35,760$29,605
25th percentile$19.19/hr$3,327$39,920$32,717
MedianMedian$22.22/hr$3,851$46,210$37,422
75th percentile$24.90/hr$4,317$51,800$41,603
90th percentile$28.24/hr$4,894$58,730$46,787

Is $46,210 a good salary in Dover, DE?

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$74,477Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)97.52.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household62%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Dover, DE: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Dover, DE?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Dover, DE metro area was $46,210 in May 2025, about $3,851 a month or $22.22 an hour. Statewide, the Delaware median for this job is $60,350, so the metro pays 23% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Dover, DE?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Dover, DE was $22.22 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.19 an hour and one in ten earned more than $28.24.

How many forklift operators work in Dover, DE?

BLS estimated 500 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 7.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.47 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Dover, DE?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Dover, DE run from $35,760 at the 10th percentile to $39,920 at the 25th, $51,800 at the 75th, and $58,730 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Dover, DE?

On a median gross salary of $46,210, an estimated $37,422 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,439 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Delaware in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,788 (an effective rate of 19%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Dover, DE?

On the median annual salary of $46,210, gross monthly income is $3,851. After federal, FICA, and Delaware state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,119 per month (or $1,439 every two weeks).

Is $46,210 a good salary in Dover, DE?

At $46,210, the median salary for forklift operators is 62% of the Dover, DE median household income ($74,477). It is 1% below the $46,690 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 97.5, so prices here run 2.5% below the U.S. average.