Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Nashville-Davidson, TN?

In the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $44,600 a year ($21.44 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 6,000 of these jobs there. That is 11% below the $50,390 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $36,610 and $58,240; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Tennessee tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $38,016 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Nashville-Davidson, TN at a glance

Median salary

$44,600$21.44 per hour · $3,717 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$36,610$17.60/hr
25th percentile$39,400$18.94/hr
75th percentile$48,910$23.51/hr
90th percentile$58,240$28.00/hr
Jobs in this metro6,000Location quotient 1.10 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here11% belowAll-jobs median $50,390
Against Tennessee6% aboveStatewide median $42,100
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.

Forklift operator salary in Nashville-Davidson, TN after taxes

$44,600
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$44,600
Net 85%
Fed 7%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$38,016After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,168Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,462Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,172 / yr
Tennessee state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,412 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Nashville-Davidson, TN, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What forklift operators earned in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (TN)
10th percentile$17.60/hr$3,051$36,610$31,596
25th percentile$18.94/hr$3,283$39,400$33,838
MedianMedian$21.44/hr$3,717$44,600$38,016
75th percentile$23.51/hr$4,076$48,910$41,479
90th percentile$28.00/hr$4,853$58,240$48,976

Is $44,600 a good salary in Nashville-Davidson, 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$85,447Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)96.33.7% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household52.2%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Nashville-Davidson, TN: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area was $44,600 in May 2025, about $3,717 a month or $21.44 an hour. Statewide, the Tennessee median for this job is $42,100, so the metro pays 6% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN was $21.44 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.60 an hour and one in ten earned more than $28.00.

How many forklift operators work in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

BLS estimated 6,000 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 5.5 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.10 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN run from $36,610 at the 10th percentile to $39,400 at the 25th, $48,910 at the 75th, and $58,240 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

On a median gross salary of $44,600, an estimated $38,016 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,462 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Tennessee in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,584 (an effective rate of 14.8%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

On the median annual salary of $44,600, gross monthly income is $3,717. After federal, FICA, and Tennessee state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,168 per month (or $1,462 every two weeks).

Is $44,600 a good salary in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

At $44,600, the median salary for forklift operators is 52.2% of the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN median household income ($85,447). It is 11% below the $50,390 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 96.3, so prices here run 3.7% below the U.S. average.