Grand Island, NE metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Grand Island, NE?

In the Grand Island, NE metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $50,730 a year ($24.39 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 280 of these jobs there. That is 3% above the $49,410 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $36,750 and $51,410; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Nebraska tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $41,513 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Grand Island, NE at a glance

Median salary

$50,730$24.39 per hour · $4,228 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$36,750$17.67/hr
25th percentile$43,950$21.13/hr
75th percentile$51,410$24.72/hr
90th percentile$51,410$24.72/hr
Jobs in this metro280Location quotient 1.41 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here3% aboveAll-jobs median $49,410
Against Nebraska9% aboveStatewide median $46,730
Against the U.S.9% 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 Grand Island, NE after taxes

$50,730
$20,000$105,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$50,730
Net 82%
Fed 8%
NE 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$41,513After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,459Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,597Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,908 / yr
Nebraska state income tax$1,429 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,881 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Grand Island, NE, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Grand Island, NE metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NE)
10th percentile$17.67/hr$3,063$36,750$30,916
25th percentile$21.13/hr$3,663$43,950$36,374
MedianMedian$24.39/hr$4,228$50,730$41,513
75th percentile$24.72/hr$4,284$51,410$42,028
90th percentile$24.72/hr$4,284$51,410$42,028

Is $50,730 a good salary in Grand Island, NE?

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$69,704Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)86.713.3% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household72.8%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Grand Island, NE: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Grand Island, NE?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Grand Island, NE metro area was $50,730 in May 2025, about $4,228 a month or $24.39 an hour. Statewide, the Nebraska median for this job is $46,730, so the metro pays 9% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Grand Island, NE?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Grand Island, NE was $24.39 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.67 an hour and one in ten earned more than $24.72.

How many forklift operators work in Grand Island, NE?

BLS estimated 280 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 7.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.41 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Grand Island, NE?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Grand Island, NE run from $36,750 at the 10th percentile to $43,950 at the 25th, $51,410 at the 75th, and $51,410 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Grand Island, NE?

On a median gross salary of $50,730, an estimated $41,513 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,597 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Nebraska in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $9,217 (an effective rate of 18.2%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Grand Island, NE?

On the median annual salary of $50,730, gross monthly income is $4,228. After federal, FICA, and Nebraska state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,459 per month (or $1,597 every two weeks).

Is $50,730 a good salary in Grand Island, NE?

At $50,730, the median salary for forklift operators is 72.8% of the Grand Island, NE median household income ($69,704). It is 3% above the $49,410 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 86.7, so prices here run 13.3% below the U.S. average.