La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI?

In the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $44,620 a year ($21.45 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 490 of these jobs there. That is 8% below the $48,260 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $39,330 and $56,350; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Minnesota tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $36,464 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI at a glance

Median salary

$44,620$21.45 per hour · $3,718 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$39,330$18.91/hr
25th percentile$44,620$21.45/hr
75th percentile$47,210$22.70/hr
90th percentile$56,350$27.09/hr
Jobs in this metro490Location quotient 1.17 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here8% belowAll-jobs median $48,260
Against Minnesota10% belowStatewide median $49,740
Against the U.S.4% 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 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI after taxes

$44,620
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$44,620
Net 82%
Fed 7%
MN 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$36,464After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,039Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,402Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,174 / yr
Minnesota state income tax$1,569 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,413 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MN)
10th percentile$18.91/hr$3,278$39,330$32,496
25th percentile$21.45/hr$3,718$44,620$36,464
MedianMedian$21.45/hr$3,718$44,620$36,464
75th percentile$22.70/hr$3,934$47,210$38,406
90th percentile$27.09/hr$4,696$56,350$45,149

Is $44,620 a good salary in La Crosse-Onalaska, 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$73,340Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)91.88.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household60.8%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area was $44,620 in May 2025, about $3,718 a month or $21.45 an hour. Statewide, the Minnesota median for this job is $49,740, so the metro pays 10% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN was $21.45 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $18.91 an hour and one in ten earned more than $27.09.

How many forklift operators work in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN?

BLS estimated 490 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 5.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.17 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN run from $39,330 at the 10th percentile to $44,620 at the 25th, $47,210 at the 75th, and $56,350 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN?

On a median gross salary of $44,620, an estimated $36,464 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,402 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Minnesota in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,156 (an effective rate of 18.3%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN?

On the median annual salary of $44,620, gross monthly income is $3,718. After federal, FICA, and Minnesota state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,039 per month (or $1,402 every two weeks).

Is $44,620 a good salary in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN?

At $44,620, the median salary for forklift operators is 60.8% of the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN median household income ($73,340). It is 8% below the $48,260 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 91.8, so prices here run 8.2% below the U.S. average.