EN

Language

Search
CostAnswer

Explore

Language

MethodologyAbout

Merced, CA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Merced, CA?

In the Merced, CA metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $44,520 a year ($21.41 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 720 of these jobs there. That is 6% below the $47,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $35,770 and $62,660; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and California tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $37,188 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Merced, CA at a glance

Median salary

$44,520$21.41 per hour · $3,710 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$35,770$17.20/hr
25th percentile$37,750$18.15/hr
75th percentile$54,200$26.06/hr
90th percentile$62,660$30.13/hr
Jobs in this metro720Location quotient 1.82 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here6% belowAll-jobs median $47,220
Against California7% belowStatewide median $47,770
Against the U.S.4% 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.

Take-home payWhat $45,000 a year leaves after tax in CaliforniaFederal tax, FICA and California 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 California publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about California.

Forklift operator salary in Merced, CA after taxes

$44,520
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$44,520
Net 84%
Fed 7%
CA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$37,188After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,099Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,430Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,162 / yr
California state income tax$763 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,406 / yr
Customize deductions in full California calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Merced, CA, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Merced, CA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CA)
10th percentile$17.20/hr$2,981$35,770$30,508
25th percentile$18.15/hr$3,146$37,750$32,019
MedianMedian$21.41/hr$3,710$44,520$37,188
75th percentile$26.06/hr$4,517$54,200$44,438
90th percentile$30.13/hr$5,222$62,660$50,728

Is $44,520 a good salary in Merced, CA?

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$65,510Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)98.31.7% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household68%of area median income

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

Compare markets

Forklift operators pay in other California metros

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

Forklift operator pay in Merced, CA: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Merced, CA?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Merced, CA metro area was $44,520 in May 2025, about $3,710 a month or $21.41 an hour. Statewide, the California median for this job is $47,770, so the metro pays 7% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Merced, CA?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Merced, CA was $21.41 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.20 an hour and one in ten earned more than $30.13.

How many forklift operators work in Merced, CA?

BLS estimated 720 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 9.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.82 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Merced, CA?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Merced, CA run from $35,770 at the 10th percentile to $37,750 at the 25th, $54,200 at the 75th, and $62,660 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Merced, CA?

On a median gross salary of $44,520, an estimated $37,188 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,430 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in California in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,332 (an effective rate of 16.5%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Merced, CA?

On the median annual salary of $44,520, gross monthly income is $3,710. After federal, FICA, and California state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,099 per month (or $1,430 every two weeks).

Is $44,520 a good salary in Merced, CA?

At $44,520, the median salary for forklift operators is 68% of the Merced, CA median household income ($65,510). It is 6% below the $47,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 98.3, so prices here run 1.7% below the U.S. average.