Killeen-Temple, TX metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Killeen-Temple, TX?

In the Killeen-Temple, TX metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $45,720 a year ($21.98 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,670 of these jobs there. That is 2% below the $46,660 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $37,390 and $60,600; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Texas tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $38,916 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Killeen-Temple, TX at a glance

Median salary

$45,720$21.98 per hour · $3,810 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$37,390$17.97/hr
25th percentile$41,040$19.73/hr
75th percentile$51,650$24.83/hr
90th percentile$60,600$29.14/hr
Jobs in this metro1,670Location quotient 2.23 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here2% belowAll-jobs median $46,660
Against Texas1% aboveStatewide median $45,450
Against the U.S.2% 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 Killeen-Temple, TX after taxes

$45,720
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$45,720
Net 85%
Fed 7%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$38,916After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,243Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,497Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,306 / yr
Texas state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,498 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Killeen-Temple, TX, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Killeen-Temple, TX metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (TX)
10th percentile$17.97/hr$3,116$37,390$32,223
25th percentile$19.73/hr$3,420$41,040$35,156
MedianMedian$21.98/hr$3,810$45,720$38,916
75th percentile$24.83/hr$4,304$51,650$43,681
90th percentile$29.14/hr$5,050$60,600$50,872

Is $45,720 a good salary in Killeen-Temple, TX?

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$69,923Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)91.18.9% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household65.4%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Killeen-Temple, TX: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Killeen-Temple, TX?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Killeen-Temple, TX metro area was $45,720 in May 2025, about $3,810 a month or $21.98 an hour. Statewide, the Texas median for this job is $45,450, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Killeen-Temple, TX?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Killeen-Temple, TX was $21.98 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.97 an hour and one in ten earned more than $29.14.

How many forklift operators work in Killeen-Temple, TX?

BLS estimated 1,670 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 11.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 2.23 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Killeen-Temple, TX?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Killeen-Temple, TX run from $37,390 at the 10th percentile to $41,040 at the 25th, $51,650 at the 75th, and $60,600 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Killeen-Temple, TX?

On a median gross salary of $45,720, an estimated $38,916 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,497 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Texas in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,804 (an effective rate of 14.9%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Killeen-Temple, TX?

On the median annual salary of $45,720, gross monthly income is $3,810. After federal, FICA, and Texas state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,243 per month (or $1,497 every two weeks).

Is $45,720 a good salary in Killeen-Temple, TX?

At $45,720, the median salary for forklift operators is 65.4% of the Killeen-Temple, TX median household income ($69,923). It is 2% below the $46,660 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 91.1, so prices here run 8.9% below the U.S. average.