Forklift operator pay in Knoxville, TN at a glance
Median salary
$42,410$20.39 per hour · $3,534 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Forklift operator salary in Knoxville, TN after taxes
Forklift operators pay range in Knoxville, TN, hourly and yearly
BLS May 2025 estimates for the Knoxville, TN metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (TN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $16.95/hr | $2,938 | $35,260 | $30,511 |
| 25th percentile | $18.04/hr | $3,128 | $37,530 | $32,335 |
| MedianMedian | $20.39/hr | $3,534 | $42,410 | $36,256 |
| 75th percentile | $23.03/hr | $3,993 | $47,910 | $40,676 |
| 90th percentile | $27.80/hr | $4,819 | $57,830 | $48,646 |
Is $42,410 a good salary in Knoxville, TN?
It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for forklift operators next to both.
Forklift operators pay in Tennessee and across the U.S.
The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.
Forklift operator pay in Knoxville, TN: common questions
What is the median salary for forklift operators in Knoxville, TN?
The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Knoxville, TN metro area was $42,410 in May 2025, about $3,534 a month or $20.39 an hour. Statewide, the Tennessee median for this job is $42,100, so the metro pays 1% above the state.
What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Knoxville, TN?
The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Knoxville, TN was $20.39 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.95 an hour and one in ten earned more than $27.80.
How many forklift operators work in Knoxville, TN?
BLS estimated 1,640 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 3.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.78 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.
What is the pay range for forklift operators in Knoxville, TN?
BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Knoxville, TN run from $35,260 at the 10th percentile to $37,530 at the 25th, $47,910 at the 75th, and $57,830 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.
How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Knoxville, TN?
On a median gross salary of $42,410, an estimated $36,256 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,394 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Tennessee in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,154 (an effective rate of 14.5%).
How much do forklift operators make per month in Knoxville, TN?
On the median annual salary of $42,410, gross monthly income is $3,534. After federal, FICA, and Tennessee state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,021 per month (or $1,394 every two weeks).
Is $42,410 a good salary in Knoxville, TN?
At $42,410, the median salary for forklift operators is 58.6% of the Knoxville, TN median household income ($72,422). It is 10% below the $47,080 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 92.6, so prices here run 7.4% below the U.S. average.