Jackson, MI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Jackson, MI?

In the Jackson, MI metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $43,460 a year ($20.89 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 230 of these jobs there. That is 9% below the $47,760 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $37,160 and $52,130; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Michigan tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $35,504 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Jackson, MI at a glance

Median salary

$43,460$20.89 per hour · $3,622 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$37,160$17.87/hr
25th percentile$38,010$18.28/hr
75th percentile$47,870$23.02/hr
90th percentile$52,130$25.06/hr
Jobs in this metro230Location quotient 0.81 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here9% belowAll-jobs median $47,760
Against Michigan4% belowStatewide median $45,220
Against the U.S.6% 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 Jackson, MI after taxes

$43,460
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$43,460
Net 82%
Fed 7%
MI 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$35,504After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,959Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,366Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,035 / yr
Michigan state income tax$1,596 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,325 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Jackson, MI, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Jackson, MI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MI)
10th percentile$17.87/hr$3,097$37,160$30,710
25th percentile$18.28/hr$3,168$38,010$31,356
MedianMedian$20.89/hr$3,622$43,460$35,504
75th percentile$23.02/hr$3,989$47,870$38,860
90th percentile$25.06/hr$4,344$52,130$42,102

Is $43,460 a good salary in Jackson, 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$66,073Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)91.88.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household65.8%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Jackson, MI: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Jackson, MI?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Jackson, MI metro area was $43,460 in May 2025, about $3,622 a month or $20.89 an hour. Statewide, the Michigan median for this job is $45,220, so the metro pays 4% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Jackson, MI?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Jackson, MI was $20.89 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.87 an hour and one in ten earned more than $25.06.

How many forklift operators work in Jackson, MI?

BLS estimated 230 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 4.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.81 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Jackson, MI?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Jackson, MI run from $37,160 at the 10th percentile to $38,010 at the 25th, $47,870 at the 75th, and $52,130 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Jackson, MI?

On a median gross salary of $43,460, an estimated $35,504 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,366 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Michigan in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,956 (an effective rate of 18.3%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Jackson, MI?

On the median annual salary of $43,460, gross monthly income is $3,622. After federal, FICA, and Michigan state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,959 per month (or $1,366 every two weeks).

Is $43,460 a good salary in Jackson, MI?

At $43,460, the median salary for forklift operators is 65.8% of the Jackson, MI median household income ($66,073). It is 9% below the $47,760 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 91.8, so prices here run 8.2% below the U.S. average.