Eau Claire, WI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Eau Claire, WI?

In the Eau Claire, WI metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $46,690 a year ($22.45 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 470 of these jobs there. That is 3% below the $48,100 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $38,930 and $60,490; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Wisconsin tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $38,282 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Eau Claire, WI at a glance

Median salary

$46,690$22.45 per hour · $3,891 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$38,930$18.72/hr
25th percentile$44,180$21.24/hr
75th percentile$60,490$29.08/hr
90th percentile$60,490$29.08/hr
Jobs in this metro470Location quotient 1.09 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here3% belowAll-jobs median $48,100
Against Wisconsin2% belowStatewide median $47,720
Against the U.S.1% 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.

Forklift operator salary in Eau Claire, WI after taxes

$46,690
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$46,690
Net 82%
Fed 7%
WI 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$38,282After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,190Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,472Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,423 / yr
Wisconsin state income tax$1,414 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,572 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Eau Claire, WI, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Eau Claire, WI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WI)
10th percentile$18.72/hr$3,244$38,930$32,429
25th percentile$21.24/hr$3,682$44,180$36,389
MedianMedian$22.45/hr$3,891$46,690$38,282
75th percentile$29.08/hr$5,041$60,490$48,690
90th percentile$29.08/hr$5,041$60,490$48,690

Is $46,690 a good salary in Eau Claire, WI?

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$74,595Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)92.87.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household62.6%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Eau Claire, WI: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Eau Claire, WI?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Eau Claire, WI metro area was $46,690 in May 2025, about $3,891 a month or $22.45 an hour. Statewide, the Wisconsin median for this job is $47,720, so the metro pays 2% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Eau Claire, WI?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Eau Claire, WI was $22.45 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $18.72 an hour and one in ten earned more than $29.08.

How many forklift operators work in Eau Claire, WI?

BLS estimated 470 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 5.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.09 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Eau Claire, WI?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Eau Claire, WI run from $38,930 at the 10th percentile to $44,180 at the 25th, $60,490 at the 75th, and $60,490 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Eau Claire, WI?

On a median gross salary of $46,690, an estimated $38,282 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,472 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Wisconsin in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,408 (an effective rate of 18%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Eau Claire, WI?

On the median annual salary of $46,690, gross monthly income is $3,891. After federal, FICA, and Wisconsin state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,190 per month (or $1,472 every two weeks).

Is $46,690 a good salary in Eau Claire, WI?

At $46,690, the median salary for forklift operators is 62.6% of the Eau Claire, WI median household income ($74,595). It is 3% below the $48,100 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 92.8, so prices here run 7.2% below the U.S. average.