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Lafayette, LA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Lafayette, LA?

In the Lafayette, LA metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $46,600 a year ($22.41 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 390 of these jobs there. That is 12% above the $41,780 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $33,520 and $58,350; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Louisiana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $38,611 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Lafayette, LA at a glance

Median salary

$46,600$22.41 per hour · $3,883 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$33,520$16.12/hr
25th percentile$37,020$17.80/hr
75th percentile$49,530$23.81/hr
90th percentile$58,350$28.05/hr
Jobs in this metro390Location quotient 0.44 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here12% aboveAll-jobs median $41,780
Against Louisiana5% belowStatewide median $48,950
Against the U.S.about the same asNational 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 $47,000 a year leaves after tax in LouisianaFederal tax, FICA and Louisiana 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 $47,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $47,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Louisiana publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Louisiana.

Forklift operator salary in Lafayette, LA after taxes

$46,600
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$46,600
Net 83%
Fed 7%
LA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$38,611After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,218Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,485Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,412 / yr
Louisiana state income tax$1,012 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,565 / yr
Customize deductions in full Louisiana calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Lafayette, LA, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Lafayette, LA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (LA)
10th percentile$16.12/hr$2,793$33,520$28,494
25th percentile$17.80/hr$3,085$37,020$31,201
MedianMedian$22.41/hr$3,883$46,600$38,611
75th percentile$23.81/hr$4,128$49,530$40,878
90th percentile$28.05/hr$4,863$58,350$47,700

Is $46,600 a good salary in Lafayette, LA?

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$60,892Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)87.212.8% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household76.5%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 Louisiana metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Lafayette, LA. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Forklift operator pay in Lafayette, LA: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Lafayette, LA?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Lafayette, LA metro area was $46,600 in May 2025, about $3,883 a month or $22.41 an hour. Statewide, the Louisiana median for this job is $48,950, so the metro pays 5% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Lafayette, LA?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Lafayette, LA was $22.41 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.12 an hour and one in ten earned more than $28.05.

How many forklift operators work in Lafayette, LA?

BLS estimated 390 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 2.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.44 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Lafayette, LA?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Lafayette, LA run from $33,520 at the 10th percentile to $37,020 at the 25th, $49,530 at the 75th, and $58,350 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Lafayette, LA?

On a median gross salary of $46,600, an estimated $38,611 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,485 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Louisiana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,989 (an effective rate of 17.1%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Lafayette, LA?

On the median annual salary of $46,600, gross monthly income is $3,883. After federal, FICA, and Louisiana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,218 per month (or $1,485 every two weeks).

Is $46,600 a good salary in Lafayette, LA?

At $46,600, the median salary for forklift operators is 76.5% of the Lafayette, LA median household income ($60,892). It is 12% above the $41,780 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 87.2, so prices here run 12.8% below the U.S. average.