Modesto, CA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

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

In the Modesto, CA metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $55,810 a year ($26.83 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 2,350 of these jobs there. That is 10% above the $50,610 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $38,870 and $63,330; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and California tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $45,635 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Modesto, CA at a glance

Median salary

$55,810$26.83 per hour · $4,651 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$38,870$18.69/hr
25th percentile$45,740$21.99/hr
75th percentile$60,580$29.13/hr
90th percentile$63,330$30.45/hr
Jobs in this metro2,350Location quotient 2.42 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here10% aboveAll-jobs median $50,610
Against California17% aboveStatewide median $47,770
Against the U.S.20% 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 Modesto, CA after taxes

$55,810
$20,000$115,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$55,810
Net 82%
Fed 8%
CA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$45,635After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,803Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,755Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,517 / yr
California state income tax$1,388 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,269 / yr

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

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

What forklift operators earned in the Modesto, CA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CA)
10th percentile$18.69/hr$3,239$38,870$32,875
25th percentile$21.99/hr$3,812$45,740$38,120
MedianMedian$26.83/hr$4,651$55,810$45,635
75th percentile$29.13/hr$5,048$60,580$49,182
90th percentile$30.45/hr$5,278$63,330$51,225

Is $55,810 a good salary in Modesto, 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$81,468Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)104.14.1% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household68.5%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Modesto, CA: common questions

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

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Modesto, CA metro area was $55,810 in May 2025, about $4,651 a month or $26.83 an hour. Statewide, the California median for this job is $47,770, so the metro pays 17% above the state.

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

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Modesto, CA was $26.83 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $18.69 an hour and one in ten earned more than $30.45.

How many forklift operators work in Modesto, CA?

BLS estimated 2,350 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 12.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 2.42 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

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

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Modesto, CA run from $38,870 at the 10th percentile to $45,740 at the 25th, $60,580 at the 75th, and $63,330 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

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

On a median gross salary of $55,810, an estimated $45,635 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,755 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in California in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $10,175 (an effective rate of 18.2%).

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

On the median annual salary of $55,810, gross monthly income is $4,651. After federal, FICA, and California state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,803 per month (or $1,755 every two weeks).

Is $55,810 a good salary in Modesto, CA?

At $55,810, the median salary for forklift operators is 68.5% of the Modesto, CA median household income ($81,468). It is 10% above the $50,610 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 104.1, so prices here run 4.1% above the U.S. average.