Kenosha, WI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Kenosha, WI?

In the Kenosha, WI metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $58,110 a year ($27.94 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,300 of these jobs there. That is 20% above the $48,310 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $40,050 and $62,940; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Wisconsin tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $46,895 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Kenosha, WI at a glance

Median salary

$58,110$27.94 per hour · $4,843 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$40,050$19.26/hr
25th percentile$46,980$22.59/hr
75th percentile$62,940$30.26/hr
90th percentile$62,940$30.26/hr
Jobs in this metro1,300Location quotient 3.46 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here20% aboveAll-jobs median $48,310
Against Wisconsin22% aboveStatewide median $47,720
Against the U.S.25% aboveNational 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 Kenosha, WI after taxes

$58,110
$20,000$120,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$58,110
Net 81%
Fed 8%
WI 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$46,895After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,908Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,804Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,793 / yr
Wisconsin state income tax$1,976 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,445 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Kenosha, WI, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Kenosha, WI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WI)
10th percentile$19.26/hr$3,338$40,050$33,274
25th percentile$22.59/hr$3,915$46,980$38,501
MedianMedian$27.94/hr$4,843$58,110$46,895
75th percentile$30.26/hr$5,245$62,940$50,525
90th percentile$30.26/hr$5,245$62,940$50,525

Is $58,110 a good salary in Kenosha, WI?

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$81,239Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)101.11.1% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household71.5%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Kenosha, WI: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Kenosha, WI?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Kenosha, WI metro area was $58,110 in May 2025, about $4,843 a month or $27.94 an hour. Statewide, the Wisconsin median for this job is $47,720, so the metro pays 22% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Kenosha, WI?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Kenosha, WI was $27.94 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $19.26 an hour and one in ten earned more than $30.26.

How many forklift operators work in Kenosha, WI?

BLS estimated 1,300 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 17.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 3.46 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Kenosha, WI?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Kenosha, WI run from $40,050 at the 10th percentile to $46,980 at the 25th, $62,940 at the 75th, and $62,940 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Kenosha, WI?

On a median gross salary of $58,110, an estimated $46,895 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,804 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Wisconsin in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $11,215 (an effective rate of 19.3%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Kenosha, WI?

On the median annual salary of $58,110, gross monthly income is $4,843. After federal, FICA, and Wisconsin state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,908 per month (or $1,804 every two weeks).

Is $58,110 a good salary in Kenosha, WI?

At $58,110, the median salary for forklift operators is 71.5% of the Kenosha, WI median household income ($81,239). It is 20% above the $48,310 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 101.1, so prices here run 1.1% above the U.S. average.