Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Hilton Head Island, SC?

In the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $43,370 a year ($20.85 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 100 of these jobs there. That is 1% below the $43,850 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $37,180 and $56,900; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and South Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $36,445 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Hilton Head Island, SC at a glance

Median salary

$43,370$20.85 per hour · $3,614 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$37,180$17.88/hr
25th percentile$37,180$17.88/hr
75th percentile$47,020$22.61/hr
90th percentile$56,900$27.36/hr
Jobs in this metro100Location quotient 0.24 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here1% belowAll-jobs median $43,850
Against South Carolina1% belowStatewide median $43,680
Against the U.S.7% 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 Hilton Head Island, SC after taxes

$43,370
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$43,370
Net 84%
Fed 7%
SC 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$36,445After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,037Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,402Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,024 / yr
South Carolina state income tax$583 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,318 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Hilton Head Island, SC, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What forklift operators earned in the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (SC)
10th percentile$17.88/hr$3,098$37,180$31,613
25th percentile$17.88/hr$3,098$37,180$31,613
MedianMedian$20.85/hr$3,614$43,370$36,445
75th percentile$22.61/hr$3,918$47,020$39,159
90th percentile$27.36/hr$4,742$56,900$46,443

Is $43,370 a good salary in Hilton Head Island, SC?

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$83,304Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)98.02% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household52.1%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Hilton Head Island, SC: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC metro area was $43,370 in May 2025, about $3,614 a month or $20.85 an hour. Statewide, the South Carolina median for this job is $43,680, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC was $20.85 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.88 an hour and one in ten earned more than $27.36.

How many forklift operators work in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC?

BLS estimated 100 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 1.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.24 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC run from $37,180 at the 10th percentile to $37,180 at the 25th, $47,020 at the 75th, and $56,900 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC?

On a median gross salary of $43,370, an estimated $36,445 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,402 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in South Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,925 (an effective rate of 16%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC?

On the median annual salary of $43,370, gross monthly income is $3,614. After federal, FICA, and South Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,037 per month (or $1,402 every two weeks).

Is $43,370 a good salary in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC?

At $43,370, the median salary for forklift operators is 52.1% of the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC median household income ($83,304). It is 1% below the $43,850 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 98.0, so prices here run 2% below the U.S. average.