Forklift operator pay in San Francisco-Oakland, CA at a glance
Median salary
$59,240$28.48 per hour · $4,937 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Forklift operator salary in San Francisco-Oakland, CA after taxes
Forklift operators pay range in San Francisco-Oakland, CA, hourly and yearly
BLS May 2025 estimates for the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (CA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $21.58/hr | $3,741 | $44,890 | $37,471 |
| 25th percentile | $23.22/hr | $4,026 | $48,310 | $40,059 |
| MedianMedian | $28.48/hr | $4,937 | $59,240 | $48,185 |
| 75th percentile | $32.13/hr | $5,570 | $66,840 | $53,730 |
| 90th percentile | $36.79/hr | $6,376 | $76,510 | $59,759 |
Is $59,240 a good salary in San Francisco-Oakland, CA?
It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for forklift operators next to both.
Forklift operators pay in California and across the U.S.
The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.
Forklift operator pay in San Francisco-Oakland, CA: common questions
What is the median salary for forklift operators in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?
The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area was $59,240 in May 2025, about $4,937 a month or $28.48 an hour. Statewide, the California median for this job is $47,770, so the metro pays 24% above the state.
What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?
The median hourly wage for forklift operators in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA was $28.48 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $21.58 an hour and one in ten earned more than $36.79.
How many forklift operators work in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?
BLS estimated 7,530 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 3.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.64 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.
What is the pay range for forklift operators in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?
BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA run from $44,890 at the 10th percentile to $48,310 at the 25th, $66,840 at the 75th, and $76,510 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.
How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?
On a median gross salary of $59,240, an estimated $48,185 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,853 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in California in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $11,055 (an effective rate of 18.7%).
How much do forklift operators make per month in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?
On the median annual salary of $59,240, gross monthly income is $4,937. After federal, FICA, and California state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $4,015 per month (or $1,853 every two weeks).
Is $59,240 a good salary in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?
At $59,240, the median salary for forklift operators is 43.6% of the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA median household income ($136,027). It is 20% below the $74,260 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 115.6, so prices here run 15.6% above the U.S. average.