Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

In the Lansing-East Lansing, MI metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $45,070 a year ($21.67 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 790 of these jobs there. That is 15% below the $52,800 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $37,330 and $71,680; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Michigan tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $36,729 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Lansing-East Lansing, MI at a glance

Median salary

$45,070$21.67 per hour · $3,756 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$37,330$17.95/hr
25th percentile$40,840$19.63/hr
75th percentile$51,780$24.89/hr
90th percentile$71,680$34.46/hr
Jobs in this metro790Location quotient 0.73 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here15% belowAll-jobs median $52,800
Against Michiganabout the same asStatewide median $45,220
Against the U.S.3% 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 Lansing-East Lansing, MI after taxes

$45,070
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$45,070
Net 81%
Fed 7%
MI 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$36,729After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,061Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,413Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,228 / yr
Michigan state income tax$1,665 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,448 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Lansing-East Lansing, MI, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MI)
10th percentile$17.95/hr$3,111$37,330$30,839
25th percentile$19.63/hr$3,403$40,840$33,510
MedianMedian$21.67/hr$3,756$45,070$36,729
75th percentile$24.89/hr$4,315$51,780$41,835
90th percentile$34.46/hr$5,973$71,680$56,461

Is $45,070 a good salary in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

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$72,550Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)95.05% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household62.1%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Lansing-East Lansing, MI: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area was $45,070 in May 2025, about $3,756 a month or $21.67 an hour. Statewide, the Michigan median for this job is $45,220, so the metro pays about the same as the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Lansing-East Lansing, MI was $21.67 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.95 an hour and one in ten earned more than $34.46.

How many forklift operators work in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

BLS estimated 790 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 3.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.73 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Lansing-East Lansing, MI run from $37,330 at the 10th percentile to $40,840 at the 25th, $51,780 at the 75th, and $71,680 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

On a median gross salary of $45,070, an estimated $36,729 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,413 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Michigan in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,341 (an effective rate of 18.5%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

On the median annual salary of $45,070, gross monthly income is $3,756. After federal, FICA, and Michigan state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,061 per month (or $1,413 every two weeks).

Is $45,070 a good salary in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?

At $45,070, the median salary for forklift operators is 62.1% of the Lansing-East Lansing, MI median household income ($72,550). It is 15% below the $52,800 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 95.0, so prices here run 5% below the U.S. average.