Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

In the Raleigh-Cary, NC metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $45,140 a year ($21.70 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 2,650 of these jobs there. That is 13% below the $51,990 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $37,050 and $57,200; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and North Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $37,158 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Raleigh-Cary, NC at a glance

Median salary

$45,140$21.70 per hour · $3,762 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$37,050$17.81/hr
25th percentile$38,650$18.58/hr
75th percentile$49,470$23.78/hr
90th percentile$57,200$27.50/hr
Jobs in this metro2,650Location quotient 0.72 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here13% belowAll-jobs median $51,990
Against North Carolina4% aboveStatewide median $43,420
Against the U.S.3% 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 Raleigh-Cary, NC after taxes

$45,140
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$45,140
Net 82%
Fed 7%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$37,158After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,096Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,429Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,237 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$1,292 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,453 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Raleigh-Cary, NC, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NC)
10th percentile$17.81/hr$3,088$37,050$30,980
25th percentile$18.58/hr$3,221$38,650$32,202
MedianMedian$21.70/hr$3,762$45,140$37,158
75th percentile$23.78/hr$4,123$49,470$40,464
90th percentile$27.50/hr$4,767$57,200$46,367

Is $45,140 a good salary in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

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$100,103Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)98.21.8% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household45.1%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Raleigh-Cary, NC: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area was $45,140 in May 2025, about $3,762 a month or $21.70 an hour. Statewide, the North Carolina median for this job is $43,420, so the metro pays 4% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Raleigh-Cary, NC was $21.70 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.81 an hour and one in ten earned more than $27.50.

How many forklift operators work in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

BLS estimated 2,650 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 3.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.72 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Raleigh-Cary, NC run from $37,050 at the 10th percentile to $38,650 at the 25th, $49,470 at the 75th, and $57,200 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

On a median gross salary of $45,140, an estimated $37,158 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,429 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in North Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,982 (an effective rate of 17.7%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

On the median annual salary of $45,140, gross monthly income is $3,762. After federal, FICA, and North Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,096 per month (or $1,429 every two weeks).

Is $45,140 a good salary in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

At $45,140, the median salary for forklift operators is 45.1% of the Raleigh-Cary, NC median household income ($100,103). It is 13% below the $51,990 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 98.2, so prices here run 1.8% below the U.S. average.