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Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Memphis, TN?

In the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $44,540 a year ($21.41 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 7,950 of these jobs there. That is 5% below the $46,890 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $36,810 and $52,000; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Arkansas tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $36,776 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Memphis, TN at a glance

Median salary

$44,540$21.41 per hour · $3,712 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$36,810$17.70/hr
25th percentile$38,400$18.46/hr
75th percentile$48,410$23.28/hr
90th percentile$52,000$25.00/hr
Jobs in this metro7,950Location quotient 2.61 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here5% belowAll-jobs median $46,890
Against Arkansas2% aboveStatewide median $43,780
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 ArkansasFederal tax, FICA and Arkansas 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 Arkansas publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Arkansas.

Forklift operator salary in Memphis, TN after taxes

$44,540
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$44,540
Net 83%
Fed 7%
AR 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$36,776After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,065Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,414Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,165 / yr
Arkansas state income tax$1,192 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,407 / yr
Customize deductions in full Arkansas calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Memphis, TN, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What forklift operators earned in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (AR)
10th percentile$17.70/hr$3,068$36,810$30,867
25th percentile$18.46/hr$3,200$38,400$32,082
MedianMedian$21.41/hr$3,712$44,540$36,776
75th percentile$23.28/hr$4,034$48,410$39,735
90th percentile$25.00/hr$4,333$52,000$42,479

Is $44,540 a good salary in Memphis, TN?

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$66,401Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)92.27.8% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household67.1%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 Arkansas metros

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

Forklift operator pay in Memphis, TN: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Memphis, TN-MS-AR?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area was $44,540 in May 2025, about $3,712 a month or $21.41 an hour. Statewide, the Arkansas median for this job is $43,780, so the metro pays 2% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Memphis, TN-MS-AR?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Memphis, TN-MS-AR was $21.41 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.70 an hour and one in ten earned more than $25.00.

How many forklift operators work in Memphis, TN-MS-AR?

BLS estimated 7,950 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 13.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 2.61 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Memphis, TN-MS-AR?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Memphis, TN-MS-AR run from $36,810 at the 10th percentile to $38,400 at the 25th, $48,410 at the 75th, and $52,000 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Memphis, TN-MS-AR?

On a median gross salary of $44,540, an estimated $36,776 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,414 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Arkansas in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,764 (an effective rate of 17.4%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Memphis, TN-MS-AR?

On the median annual salary of $44,540, gross monthly income is $3,712. After federal, FICA, and Arkansas state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,065 per month (or $1,414 every two weeks).

Is $44,540 a good salary in Memphis, TN-MS-AR?

At $44,540, the median salary for forklift operators is 67.1% of the Memphis, TN-MS-AR median household income ($66,401). It is 5% below the $46,890 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 92.2, so prices here run 7.8% below the U.S. average.