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Lawrence, KS metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Lawrence, KS?

In the Lawrence, KS metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $44,650 a year ($21.47 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 180 of these jobs there. That is 6% below the $47,390 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $37,840 and $55,530; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Kansas tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $36,364 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Lawrence, KS at a glance

Median salary

$44,650$21.47 per hour · $3,721 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$37,840$18.19/hr
25th percentile$39,560$19.02/hr
75th percentile$47,130$22.66/hr
90th percentile$55,530$26.70/hr
Jobs in this metro180Location quotient 0.68 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here6% belowAll-jobs median $47,390
Against Kansas6% belowStatewide median $47,430
Against the U.S.4% belowNational median $46,420

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Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Take-home payWhat $45,000 a year leaves after tax in KansasFederal tax, FICA and Kansas withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$21 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $45,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $45,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Kansas publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Kansas.

Forklift operator salary in Lawrence, KS after taxes

$44,650
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$44,650
Net 81%
Fed 7%
KS 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$36,364After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,030Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,399Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,178 / yr
Kansas state income tax$1,692 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,416 / yr
Customize deductions in full Kansas calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Lawrence, KS, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Lawrence, KS metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (KS)
10th percentile$18.19/hr$3,153$37,840$31,273
25th percentile$19.02/hr$3,297$39,560$32,559
MedianMedian$21.47/hr$3,721$44,650$36,364
75th percentile$22.66/hr$3,928$47,130$38,219
90th percentile$26.70/hr$4,628$55,530$44,499

Is $44,650 a good salary in Lawrence, KS?

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$69,746Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)90.29.8% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household64%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 Kansas metros

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

Forklift operator pay in Lawrence, KS: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Lawrence, KS?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Lawrence, KS metro area was $44,650 in May 2025, about $3,721 a month or $21.47 an hour. Statewide, the Kansas median for this job is $47,430, so the metro pays 6% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Lawrence, KS?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Lawrence, KS was $21.47 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $18.19 an hour and one in ten earned more than $26.70.

How many forklift operators work in Lawrence, KS?

BLS estimated 180 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 3.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.68 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Lawrence, KS?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Lawrence, KS run from $37,840 at the 10th percentile to $39,560 at the 25th, $47,130 at the 75th, and $55,530 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Lawrence, KS?

On a median gross salary of $44,650, an estimated $36,364 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,399 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Kansas in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,286 (an effective rate of 18.6%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Lawrence, KS?

On the median annual salary of $44,650, gross monthly income is $3,721. After federal, FICA, and Kansas state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,030 per month (or $1,399 every two weeks).

Is $44,650 a good salary in Lawrence, KS?

At $44,650, the median salary for forklift operators is 64% of the Lawrence, KS median household income ($69,746). It is 6% below the $47,390 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 90.2, so prices here run 9.8% below the U.S. average.