Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI?

In the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $41,300 a year ($19.86 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 4,680 of these jobs there. That is 13% below the $47,570 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $37,690 and $55,640; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Michigan tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $33,860 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI at a glance

Median salary

$41,300$19.86 per hour · $3,442 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$37,690$18.12/hr
25th percentile$39,020$18.76/hr
75th percentile$45,830$22.03/hr
90th percentile$55,640$26.75/hr
Jobs in this metro4,680Location quotient 1.57 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here13% belowAll-jobs median $47,570
Against Michigan9% belowStatewide median $45,220
Against the U.S.11% 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.

Forklift operator salary in Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI after taxes

$41,300
$15,000$85,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$41,300
Net 82%
Fed 7%
MI 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$33,860After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,822Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,302Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,776 / yr
Michigan state income tax$1,505 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,159 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MI)
10th percentile$18.12/hr$3,141$37,690$31,113
25th percentile$18.76/hr$3,252$39,020$32,125
MedianMedian$19.86/hr$3,442$41,300$33,860
75th percentile$22.03/hr$3,819$45,830$37,307
90th percentile$26.75/hr$4,637$55,640$44,773

Is $41,300 a good salary in Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI?

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$82,874Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)95.54.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household49.8%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area was $41,300 in May 2025, about $3,442 a month or $19.86 an hour. Statewide, the Michigan median for this job is $45,220, so the metro pays 9% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI was $19.86 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $18.12 an hour and one in ten earned more than $26.75.

How many forklift operators work in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

BLS estimated 4,680 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 7.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.57 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI run from $37,690 at the 10th percentile to $39,020 at the 25th, $45,830 at the 75th, and $55,640 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

On a median gross salary of $41,300, an estimated $33,860 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,302 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Michigan in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,440 (an effective rate of 18%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

On the median annual salary of $41,300, gross monthly income is $3,442. After federal, FICA, and Michigan state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,822 per month (or $1,302 every two weeks).

Is $41,300 a good salary in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?

At $41,300, the median salary for forklift operators is 49.8% of the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI median household income ($82,874). It is 13% below the $47,570 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.