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Missoula, MT metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Missoula, MT?

In the Missoula, MT metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $48,090 a year ($23.12 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 80 of these jobs there. That is 1% above the $47,830 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $36,450 and $66,350; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Montana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $39,317 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Missoula, MT at a glance

Median salary

$48,090$23.12 per hour · $4,008 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$36,450$17.52/hr
25th percentile$43,780$21.05/hr
75th percentile$54,170$26.05/hr
90th percentile$66,350$31.90/hr
Jobs in this metro80Location quotient 0.23 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here1% aboveAll-jobs median $47,830
Against Montanaabout the same asStatewide median $48,060
Against the U.S.4% 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.

Take-home payWhat $48,000 a year leaves after tax in MontanaFederal tax, FICA and Montana withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$23 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $48,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $48,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Montana publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Montana.

Forklift operator salary in Missoula, MT after taxes

$48,090
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$48,090
Net 82%
Fed 7%
MT 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$39,317After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,276Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,512Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,591 / yr
Montana state income tax$1,504 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,679 / yr
Customize deductions in full Montana calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Missoula, MT, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Missoula, MT metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MT)
10th percentile$17.52/hr$3,038$36,450$30,511
25th percentile$21.05/hr$3,648$43,780$36,056
MedianMedian$23.12/hr$4,008$48,090$39,317
75th percentile$26.05/hr$4,514$54,170$43,916
90th percentile$31.90/hr$5,529$66,350$53,104

Is $48,090 a good salary in Missoula, MT?

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$74,989Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)96.43.6% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household64.1%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 Montana metros

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

Forklift operator pay in Missoula, MT: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Missoula, MT?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Missoula, MT metro area was $48,090 in May 2025, about $4,008 a month or $23.12 an hour. Statewide, the Montana median for this job is $48,060, so the metro pays about the same as the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Missoula, MT?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Missoula, MT was $23.12 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.52 an hour and one in ten earned more than $31.90.

How many forklift operators work in Missoula, MT?

BLS estimated 80 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 1.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.23 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Missoula, MT?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Missoula, MT run from $36,450 at the 10th percentile to $43,780 at the 25th, $54,170 at the 75th, and $66,350 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Missoula, MT?

On a median gross salary of $48,090, an estimated $39,317 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,512 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Montana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,773 (an effective rate of 18.2%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Missoula, MT?

On the median annual salary of $48,090, gross monthly income is $4,008. After federal, FICA, and Montana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,276 per month (or $1,512 every two weeks).

Is $48,090 a good salary in Missoula, MT?

At $48,090, the median salary for forklift operators is 64.1% of the Missoula, MT median household income ($74,989). It is 1% above the $47,830 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 96.4, so prices here run 3.6% below the U.S. average.