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Johnson City, TN metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Johnson City, TN?

In the Johnson City, TN metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $44,990 a year ($21.63 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 210 of these jobs there. That is 3% above the $43,480 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $34,340 and $45,550; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Tennessee tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $38,329 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Johnson City, TN at a glance

Median salary

$44,990$21.63 per hour · $3,749 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$34,340$16.51/hr
25th percentile$37,400$17.98/hr
75th percentile$44,990$21.63/hr
90th percentile$45,550$21.90/hr
Jobs in this metro210Location quotient 0.51 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here3% aboveAll-jobs median $43,480
Against Tennessee7% aboveStatewide median $42,100
Against the U.S.3% belowNational median $46,420

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Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Take-home payWhat $45,000 a year leaves after tax in TennesseeFederal tax, FICA and Tennessee withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$22 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $45,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $45,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Tennessee publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Tennessee.

Forklift operator salary in Johnson City, TN after taxes

$44,990
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$44,990
Net 85%
Fed 7%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$38,329After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,194Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,474Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,219 / yr
Tennessee state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,442 / yr
Customize deductions in full Tennessee calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Johnson City, TN, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Johnson City, TN metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (TN)
10th percentile$16.51/hr$2,862$34,340$29,772
25th percentile$17.98/hr$3,117$37,400$32,231
MedianMedian$21.63/hr$3,749$44,990$38,329
75th percentile$21.63/hr$3,749$44,990$38,329
90th percentile$21.90/hr$3,796$45,550$38,779

Is $44,990 a good salary in Johnson City, TN?

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$57,762Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)87.912.1% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household77.9%of area median income

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

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Forklift operators pay in other Tennessee metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Johnson City, TN. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Forklift operator pay in Johnson City, TN: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Johnson City, TN?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Johnson City, TN metro area was $44,990 in May 2025, about $3,749 a month or $21.63 an hour. Statewide, the Tennessee median for this job is $42,100, so the metro pays 7% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Johnson City, TN?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Johnson City, TN was $21.63 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.51 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.90.

How many forklift operators work in Johnson City, TN?

BLS estimated 210 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 2.5 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.51 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Johnson City, TN?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Johnson City, TN run from $34,340 at the 10th percentile to $37,400 at the 25th, $44,990 at the 75th, and $45,550 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Johnson City, TN?

On a median gross salary of $44,990, an estimated $38,329 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,474 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Tennessee in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,661 (an effective rate of 14.8%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Johnson City, TN?

On the median annual salary of $44,990, gross monthly income is $3,749. After federal, FICA, and Tennessee state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,194 per month (or $1,474 every two weeks).

Is $44,990 a good salary in Johnson City, TN?

At $44,990, the median salary for forklift operators is 77.9% of the Johnson City, TN median household income ($57,762). It is 3% above the $43,480 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 87.9, so prices here run 12.1% below the U.S. average.