Duluth, MN-WI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Duluth, MN?

In the Duluth, MN-WI metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $48,080 a year ($23.12 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 4% below the $50,000 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $38,770 and $81,950; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Minnesota tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $39,059 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Duluth, MN at a glance

Median salary

$48,080$23.12 per hour · $4,007 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$38,770$18.64/hr
25th percentile$43,640$20.98/hr
75th percentile$60,320$29.00/hr
90th percentile$81,950$39.40/hr
Jobs in this metro170Location quotient 0.27 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here4% belowAll-jobs median $50,000
Against Minnesota3% belowStatewide median $49,740
Against the U.S.4% aboveNational 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 Duluth, MN after taxes

$48,080
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$48,080
Net 81%
Fed 7%
MN 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$39,059After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,255Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,502Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,590 / yr
Minnesota state income tax$1,754 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,678 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Duluth, MN, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Duluth, MN-WI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MN)
10th percentile$18.64/hr$3,231$38,770$32,076
25th percentile$20.98/hr$3,637$43,640$35,729
MedianMedian$23.12/hr$4,007$48,080$39,059
75th percentile$29.00/hr$5,027$60,320$48,069
90th percentile$39.40/hr$6,829$81,950$62,433

Is $48,080 a good salary in Duluth, MN?

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$71,769Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.811.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household67%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Duluth, MN: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Duluth, MN-WI?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Duluth, MN-WI metro area was $48,080 in May 2025, about $4,007 a month or $23.12 an hour. Statewide, the Minnesota median for this job is $49,740, so the metro pays 3% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Duluth, MN-WI?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Duluth, MN-WI was $23.12 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $18.64 an hour and one in ten earned more than $39.40.

How many forklift operators work in Duluth, MN-WI?

BLS estimated 170 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 1.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.27 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Duluth, MN-WI?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Duluth, MN-WI run from $38,770 at the 10th percentile to $43,640 at the 25th, $60,320 at the 75th, and $81,950 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Duluth, MN-WI?

On a median gross salary of $48,080, an estimated $39,059 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,502 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Minnesota in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $9,021 (an effective rate of 18.8%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Duluth, MN-WI?

On the median annual salary of $48,080, gross monthly income is $4,007. After federal, FICA, and Minnesota state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,255 per month (or $1,502 every two weeks).

Is $48,080 a good salary in Duluth, MN-WI?

At $48,080, the median salary for forklift operators is 67% of the Duluth, MN-WI median household income ($71,769). It is 4% below the $50,000 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.8, so prices here run 11.2% below the U.S. average.