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Fort Wayne, IN metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Fort Wayne, IN?

In the Fort Wayne, IN metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $43,850 a year ($21.08 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,550 of these jobs there. That is 8% below the $47,700 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $36,910 and $60,910; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Indiana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $36,149 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Fort Wayne, IN at a glance

Median salary

$43,850$21.08 per hour · $3,654 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$36,910$17.74/hr
25th percentile$39,950$19.21/hr
75th percentile$50,010$24.04/hr
90th percentile$60,910$29.28/hr
Jobs in this metro1,550Location quotient 1.38 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here8% belowAll-jobs median $47,700
Against Indiana4% belowStatewide median $45,650
Against the U.S.6% belowNational 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 $44,000 a year leaves after tax in IndianaFederal tax, FICA and Indiana withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$21 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $44,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $44,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Indiana publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Indiana.

Forklift operator salary in Fort Wayne, IN after taxes

$43,850
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$43,850
Net 82%
Fed 7%
IN 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$36,149After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,012Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,390Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,082 / yr
Indiana state income tax$1,264 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,355 / yr
Customize deductions in full Indiana calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Fort Wayne, IN, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Fort Wayne, IN metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IN)
10th percentile$17.74/hr$3,076$36,910$30,778
25th percentile$19.21/hr$3,329$39,950$33,131
MedianMedian$21.08/hr$3,654$43,850$36,149
75th percentile$24.04/hr$4,168$50,010$40,917
90th percentile$29.28/hr$5,076$60,910$49,354

Is $43,850 a good salary in Fort Wayne, IN?

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$71,213Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)92.67.4% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household61.6%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 Indiana metros

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

Forklift operator pay in Fort Wayne, IN: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Fort Wayne, IN?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Fort Wayne, IN metro area was $43,850 in May 2025, about $3,654 a month or $21.08 an hour. Statewide, the Indiana median for this job is $45,650, so the metro pays 4% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Fort Wayne, IN?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Fort Wayne, IN was $21.08 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.74 an hour and one in ten earned more than $29.28.

How many forklift operators work in Fort Wayne, IN?

BLS estimated 1,550 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 6.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.38 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Fort Wayne, IN?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Fort Wayne, IN run from $36,910 at the 10th percentile to $39,950 at the 25th, $50,010 at the 75th, and $60,910 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Fort Wayne, IN?

On a median gross salary of $43,850, an estimated $36,149 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,390 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Indiana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,701 (an effective rate of 17.6%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Fort Wayne, IN?

On the median annual salary of $43,850, gross monthly income is $3,654. After federal, FICA, and Indiana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,012 per month (or $1,390 every two weeks).

Is $43,850 a good salary in Fort Wayne, IN?

At $43,850, the median salary for forklift operators is 61.6% of the Fort Wayne, IN median household income ($71,213). It is 8% below the $47,700 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 92.6, so prices here run 7.4% below the U.S. average.