Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ?

In the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $48,770 a year ($23.45 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 10,250 of these jobs there. That is 5% below the $51,380 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $39,240 and $63,110; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Arizona tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $40,541 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ at a glance

Median salary

$48,770$23.45 per hour · $4,064 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$39,240$18.86/hr
25th percentile$44,450$21.37/hr
75th percentile$56,050$26.95/hr
90th percentile$63,110$30.34/hr
Jobs in this metro10,250Location quotient 0.87 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here5% belowAll-jobs median $51,380
Against Arizona1% aboveStatewide median $48,110
Against the U.S.5% 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 Phoenix-Mesa, AZ after taxes

$48,770
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$48,770
Net 83%
Fed 8%
AZ 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$40,541After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,378Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,559Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,672 / yr
Arizona state income tax$826 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,731 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What forklift operators earned in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (AZ)
10th percentile$18.86/hr$3,270$39,240$33,122
25th percentile$21.37/hr$3,704$44,450$37,178
MedianMedian$23.45/hr$4,064$48,770$40,541
75th percentile$26.95/hr$4,671$56,050$46,209
90th percentile$30.34/hr$5,259$63,110$51,705

Is $48,770 a good salary in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ?

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$88,301Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)103.33.3% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household55.2%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area was $48,770 in May 2025, about $4,064 a month or $23.45 an hour. Statewide, the Arizona median for this job is $48,110, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ was $23.45 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $18.86 an hour and one in ten earned more than $30.34.

How many forklift operators work in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?

BLS estimated 10,250 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 4.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.87 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ run from $39,240 at the 10th percentile to $44,450 at the 25th, $56,050 at the 75th, and $63,110 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?

On a median gross salary of $48,770, an estimated $40,541 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,559 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Arizona in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,229 (an effective rate of 16.9%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?

On the median annual salary of $48,770, gross monthly income is $4,064. After federal, FICA, and Arizona state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,378 per month (or $1,559 every two weeks).

Is $48,770 a good salary in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?

At $48,770, the median salary for forklift operators is 55.2% of the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ median household income ($88,301). It is 5% below the $51,380 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 103.3, so prices here run 3.3% above the U.S. average.