Longview-Kelso, WA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Longview-Kelso, WA?

In the Longview-Kelso, WA metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $51,700 a year ($24.86 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 270 of these jobs there. That is 10% below the $57,420 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $39,340 and $60,880; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Washington tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $43,721 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Longview-Kelso, WA at a glance

Median salary

$51,700$24.86 per hour · $4,308 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$39,340$18.92/hr
25th percentile$46,090$22.16/hr
75th percentile$60,620$29.14/hr
90th percentile$60,880$29.27/hr
Jobs in this metro270Location quotient 1.31 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here10% belowAll-jobs median $57,420
Against Washington4% aboveStatewide median $49,910
Against the U.S.11% aboveNational 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 Longview-Kelso, WA after taxes

$51,700
$20,000$105,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$51,700
Net 85%
Fed 8%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$43,721After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,643Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,682Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,024 / yr
Washington state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,955 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Longview-Kelso, WA, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Longview-Kelso, WA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WA)
10th percentile$18.92/hr$3,278$39,340$33,790
25th percentile$22.16/hr$3,841$46,090$39,213
MedianMedian$24.86/hr$4,308$51,700$43,721
75th percentile$29.14/hr$5,052$60,620$50,888
90th percentile$29.27/hr$5,073$60,880$51,097

Is $51,700 a good salary in Longview-Kelso, WA?

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$76,531Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)97.52.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household67.6%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Longview-Kelso, WA: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Longview-Kelso, WA?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Longview-Kelso, WA metro area was $51,700 in May 2025, about $4,308 a month or $24.86 an hour. Statewide, the Washington median for this job is $49,910, so the metro pays 4% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Longview-Kelso, WA?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Longview-Kelso, WA was $24.86 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $18.92 an hour and one in ten earned more than $29.27.

How many forklift operators work in Longview-Kelso, WA?

BLS estimated 270 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 6.5 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.31 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Longview-Kelso, WA?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Longview-Kelso, WA run from $39,340 at the 10th percentile to $46,090 at the 25th, $60,620 at the 75th, and $60,880 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Longview-Kelso, WA?

On a median gross salary of $51,700, an estimated $43,721 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,682 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Washington in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,979 (an effective rate of 15.4%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Longview-Kelso, WA?

On the median annual salary of $51,700, gross monthly income is $4,308. After federal, FICA, and Washington state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,643 per month (or $1,682 every two weeks).

Is $51,700 a good salary in Longview-Kelso, WA?

At $51,700, the median salary for forklift operators is 67.6% of the Longview-Kelso, WA median household income ($76,531). It is 10% below the $57,420 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 97.5, so prices here run 2.5% below the U.S. average.