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Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?

In the Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $44,920 a year ($21.59 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 520 of these jobs there. That is 7% below the $48,510 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $36,810 and $55,060; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Michigan tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $36,615 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI at a glance

Median salary

$44,920$21.59 per hour · $3,743 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$36,810$17.70/hr
25th percentile$38,320$18.42/hr
75th percentile$48,670$23.40/hr
90th percentile$55,060$26.47/hr
Jobs in this metro520Location quotient 0.85 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here7% belowAll-jobs median $48,510
Against Michigan1% belowStatewide median $45,220
Against the U.S.3% 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 $45,000 a year leaves after tax in MichiganFederal tax, FICA and Michigan 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 Michigan publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Michigan.

Forklift operator salary in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI after taxes

$44,920
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$44,920
Net 82%
Fed 7%
MI 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$36,615After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,051Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,408Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,210 / yr
Michigan state income tax$1,658 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,436 / yr
Customize deductions in full Michigan calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MI)
10th percentile$17.70/hr$3,068$36,810$30,443
25th percentile$18.42/hr$3,193$38,320$31,592
MedianMedian$21.59/hr$3,743$44,920$36,615
75th percentile$23.40/hr$4,056$48,670$39,469
90th percentile$26.47/hr$4,588$55,060$44,331

Is $44,920 a good salary in Kalamazoo-Portage, 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$72,532Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)94.85.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household61.9%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 Michigan metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Kalamazoo-Portage, MI. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Forklift operator pay in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metro area was $44,920 in May 2025, about $3,743 a month or $21.59 an hour. Statewide, the Michigan median for this job is $45,220, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI was $21.59 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.70 an hour and one in ten earned more than $26.47.

How many forklift operators work in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?

BLS estimated 520 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 4.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.85 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI run from $36,810 at the 10th percentile to $38,320 at the 25th, $48,670 at the 75th, and $55,060 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?

On a median gross salary of $44,920, an estimated $36,615 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,408 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Michigan in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,305 (an effective rate of 18.5%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?

On the median annual salary of $44,920, gross monthly income is $3,743. After federal, FICA, and Michigan state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,051 per month (or $1,408 every two weeks).

Is $44,920 a good salary in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?

At $44,920, the median salary for forklift operators is 61.9% of the Kalamazoo-Portage, MI median household income ($72,532). It is 7% below the $48,510 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 94.8, so prices here run 5.2% below the U.S. average.