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Rochester, NY metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Rochester, NY?

In the Rochester, NY metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $47,210 a year ($22.70 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,270 of these jobs there. That is 8% below the $51,210 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $36,540 and $59,370; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and New York tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $38,161 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Rochester, NY at a glance

Median salary

$47,210$22.70 per hour · $3,934 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$36,540$17.57/hr
25th percentile$41,080$19.75/hr
75th percentile$54,490$26.20/hr
90th percentile$59,370$28.54/hr
Jobs in this metro1,270Location quotient 0.52 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here8% belowAll-jobs median $51,210
Against New York4% belowStatewide median $49,030
Against the U.S.2% 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 $47,000 a year leaves after tax in New YorkFederal tax, FICA and New York withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$23 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $47,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $47,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation New York publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about New York.

Forklift operator salary in Rochester, NY after taxes

$47,210
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$47,210
Net 81%
Fed 7%
NY 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$38,161After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,180Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,468Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,485 / yr
New York state income tax$1,953 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,612 / yr
Customize deductions in full New York calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Rochester, NY, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Rochester, NY metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NY)
10th percentile$17.57/hr$3,045$36,540$30,163
25th percentile$19.75/hr$3,423$41,080$33,566
MedianMedian$22.70/hr$3,934$47,210$38,161
75th percentile$26.20/hr$4,541$54,490$43,617
90th percentile$28.54/hr$4,948$59,370$47,274

Is $47,210 a good salary in Rochester, NY?

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$76,284Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)97.03% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household61.9%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 New York metros

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

Forklift operator pay in Rochester, NY: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Rochester, NY?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Rochester, NY metro area was $47,210 in May 2025, about $3,934 a month or $22.70 an hour. Statewide, the New York median for this job is $49,030, so the metro pays 4% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Rochester, NY?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Rochester, NY was $22.70 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.57 an hour and one in ten earned more than $28.54.

How many forklift operators work in Rochester, NY?

BLS estimated 1,270 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 2.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.52 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Rochester, NY?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Rochester, NY run from $36,540 at the 10th percentile to $41,080 at the 25th, $54,490 at the 75th, and $59,370 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Rochester, NY?

On a median gross salary of $47,210, an estimated $38,161 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,468 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in New York in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $9,050 (an effective rate of 19.2%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Rochester, NY?

On the median annual salary of $47,210, gross monthly income is $3,934. After federal, FICA, and New York state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,180 per month (or $1,468 every two weeks).

Is $47,210 a good salary in Rochester, NY?

At $47,210, the median salary for forklift operators is 61.9% of the Rochester, NY median household income ($76,284). It is 8% below the $51,210 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 97.0, so prices here run 3% below the U.S. average.