EN

Language

Search
CostAnswer

Explore

Language

MethodologyAbout

Grand Junction, CO metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Grand Junction, CO?

In the Grand Junction, CO metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $44,100 a year ($21.20 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 140 of these jobs there. That is 9% below the $48,510 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $36,270 and $54,590; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Colorado tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $36,382 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Grand Junction, CO at a glance

Median salary

$44,100$21.20 per hour · $3,675 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$36,270$17.44/hr
25th percentile$39,580$19.03/hr
75th percentile$50,390$24.23/hr
90th percentile$54,590$26.25/hr
Jobs in this metro140Location quotient 0.43 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here9% belowAll-jobs median $48,510
Against Colorado13% belowStatewide median $50,570
Against the U.S.5% belowNational 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.

Take-home payWhat $44,000 a year leaves after tax in ColoradoFederal tax, FICA and Colorado 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 Colorado publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Colorado.

Forklift operator salary in Grand Junction, CO after taxes

$44,100
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$44,100
Net 82%
Fed 7%
CO 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$36,382After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,032Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,399Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,112 / yr
Colorado state income tax$1,232 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,374 / yr
Customize deductions in full Colorado calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Grand Junction, CO, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Grand Junction, CO metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CO)
10th percentile$17.44/hr$3,023$36,270$30,435
25th percentile$19.03/hr$3,298$39,580$32,949
MedianMedian$21.20/hr$3,675$44,100$36,382
75th percentile$24.23/hr$4,199$50,390$41,160
90th percentile$26.25/hr$4,549$54,590$44,350

Is $44,100 a good salary in Grand Junction, CO?

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$73,658Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)95.54.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household59.9%of area median income

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

Compare markets

Forklift operators pay in other Colorado metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Grand Junction, CO. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Forklift operator pay in Grand Junction, CO: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Grand Junction, CO?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Grand Junction, CO metro area was $44,100 in May 2025, about $3,675 a month or $21.20 an hour. Statewide, the Colorado median for this job is $50,570, so the metro pays 13% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Grand Junction, CO?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Grand Junction, CO was $21.20 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.44 an hour and one in ten earned more than $26.25.

How many forklift operators work in Grand Junction, CO?

BLS estimated 140 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 2.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.43 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Grand Junction, CO?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Grand Junction, CO run from $36,270 at the 10th percentile to $39,580 at the 25th, $50,390 at the 75th, and $54,590 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Grand Junction, CO?

On a median gross salary of $44,100, an estimated $36,382 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,399 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Colorado in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,718 (an effective rate of 17.5%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Grand Junction, CO?

On the median annual salary of $44,100, gross monthly income is $3,675. After federal, FICA, and Colorado state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,032 per month (or $1,399 every two weeks).

Is $44,100 a good salary in Grand Junction, CO?

At $44,100, the median salary for forklift operators is 59.9% of the Grand Junction, CO median household income ($73,658). It is 9% below the $48,510 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 95.5, so prices here run 4.5% below the U.S. average.