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Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY?

In the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $46,190 a year ($22.21 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 4,230 of these jobs there. That is 5% below the $48,370 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $37,720 and $63,950; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Indiana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $37,961 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY at a glance

Median salary

$46,190$22.21 per hour · $3,849 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$37,720$18.13/hr
25th percentile$40,650$19.54/hr
75th percentile$57,240$27.52/hr
90th percentile$63,950$30.75/hr
Jobs in this metro4,230Location quotient 1.24 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here5% belowAll-jobs median $48,370
Against Indiana1% aboveStatewide median $45,650
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 $46,000 a year leaves after tax in IndianaFederal tax, FICA and Indiana 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 $46,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $46,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Indiana publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Indiana.

Forklift operator salary in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY after taxes

$46,190
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$46,190
Net 82%
Fed 7%
IN 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$37,961After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,163Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,460Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,363 / yr
Indiana state income tax$1,333 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,534 / yr
Customize deductions in full Indiana calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What forklift operators earned in the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IN)
10th percentile$18.13/hr$3,143$37,720$31,405
25th percentile$19.54/hr$3,388$40,650$33,673
MedianMedian$22.21/hr$3,849$46,190$37,961
75th percentile$27.52/hr$4,770$57,240$46,513
90th percentile$30.75/hr$5,329$63,950$51,707

Is $46,190 a good salary in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY?

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$73,863Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)93.16.9% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household62.5%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 Indiana metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Louisville/Jefferson County, KY. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Forklift operator pay in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro area was $46,190 in May 2025, about $3,849 a month or $22.21 an hour. Statewide, the Indiana median for this job is $45,650, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN was $22.21 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $18.13 an hour and one in ten earned more than $30.75.

How many forklift operators work in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN?

BLS estimated 4,230 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 6.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.24 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN run from $37,720 at the 10th percentile to $40,650 at the 25th, $57,240 at the 75th, and $63,950 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN?

On a median gross salary of $46,190, an estimated $37,961 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,460 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Indiana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,229 (an effective rate of 17.8%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN?

On the median annual salary of $46,190, gross monthly income is $3,849. After federal, FICA, and Indiana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,163 per month (or $1,460 every two weeks).

Is $46,190 a good salary in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN?

At $46,190, the median salary for forklift operators is 62.5% of the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN median household income ($73,863). It is 5% below the $48,370 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 93.1, so prices here run 6.9% below the U.S. average.