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Owensboro, KY metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Owensboro, KY?

In the Owensboro, KY metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $50,010 a year ($24.04 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 240 of these jobs there. That is 11% above the $44,960 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $37,300 and $63,360; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Kentucky tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $40,730 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Owensboro, KY at a glance

Median salary

$50,010$24.04 per hour · $4,168 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$37,300$17.94/hr
25th percentile$41,960$20.17/hr
75th percentile$62,080$29.84/hr
90th percentile$63,360$30.46/hr
Jobs in this metro240Location quotient 0.97 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here11% aboveAll-jobs median $44,960
Against Kentucky7% aboveStatewide median $46,630
Against the U.S.8% 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 $50,000 a year leaves after tax in KentuckyFederal tax, FICA and Kentucky withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$24 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $50,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $50,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Kentucky publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Kentucky.

Forklift operator salary in Owensboro, KY after taxes

$50,010
$20,000$105,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$50,010
Net 81%
Fed 8%
KY 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$40,730After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,394Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,567Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,821 / yr
Kentucky state income tax$1,633 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,826 / yr
Customize deductions in full Kentucky calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Owensboro, KY, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Owensboro, KY metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (KY)
10th percentile$17.94/hr$3,108$37,300$30,963
25th percentile$20.17/hr$3,497$41,960$34,544
MedianMedian$24.04/hr$4,168$50,010$40,730
75th percentile$29.84/hr$5,173$62,080$50,006
90th percentile$30.46/hr$5,280$63,360$50,990

Is $50,010 a good salary in Owensboro, KY?

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$68,002Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.611.4% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household73.5%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 Kentucky metros

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

Forklift operator pay in Owensboro, KY: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Owensboro, KY?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Owensboro, KY metro area was $50,010 in May 2025, about $4,168 a month or $24.04 an hour. Statewide, the Kentucky median for this job is $46,630, so the metro pays 7% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Owensboro, KY?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Owensboro, KY was $24.04 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.94 an hour and one in ten earned more than $30.46.

How many forklift operators work in Owensboro, KY?

BLS estimated 240 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 4.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.97 means the job is about as common here as in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Owensboro, KY?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Owensboro, KY run from $37,300 at the 10th percentile to $41,960 at the 25th, $62,080 at the 75th, and $63,360 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Owensboro, KY?

On a median gross salary of $50,010, an estimated $40,730 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,567 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Kentucky in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $9,280 (an effective rate of 18.6%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Owensboro, KY?

On the median annual salary of $50,010, gross monthly income is $4,168. After federal, FICA, and Kentucky state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,394 per month (or $1,567 every two weeks).

Is $50,010 a good salary in Owensboro, KY?

At $50,010, the median salary for forklift operators is 73.5% of the Owensboro, KY median household income ($68,002). It is 11% above the $44,960 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.6, so prices here run 11.4% below the U.S. average.