Forklift operator pay in San Jose-Sunnyvale, CA at a glance
Median salary
$54,440$26.17 per hour · $4,537 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Forklift operator salary in San Jose-Sunnyvale, CA after taxes
Forklift operators pay range in San Jose-Sunnyvale, CA, hourly and yearly
BLS May 2025 estimates for the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, 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 | $21.66/hr | $3,753 | $45,040 | $37,585 |
| 25th percentile | $22.58/hr | $3,913 | $46,960 | $39,051 |
| MedianMedian | $26.17/hr | $4,537 | $54,440 | $44,617 |
| 75th percentile | $29.65/hr | $5,140 | $61,680 | $50,000 |
| 90th percentile | $35.51/hr | $6,155 | $73,860 | $58,107 |
Is $54,440 a good salary in San Jose-Sunnyvale, 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 Jose-Sunnyvale, CA: common questions
What is the median salary for forklift operators in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area was $54,440 in May 2025, about $4,537 a month or $26.17 an hour. Statewide, the California median for this job is $47,770, so the metro pays 14% above the state.
What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
The median hourly wage for forklift operators in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA was $26.17 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $21.66 an hour and one in ten earned more than $35.51.
How many forklift operators work in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
BLS estimated 2,130 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 1.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.38 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.
What is the pay range for forklift operators in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA run from $45,040 at the 10th percentile to $46,960 at the 25th, $61,680 at the 75th, and $73,860 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.
How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
On a median gross salary of $54,440, an estimated $44,617 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,716 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in California in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $9,823 (an effective rate of 18%).
How much do forklift operators make per month in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
On the median annual salary of $54,440, gross monthly income is $4,537. After federal, FICA, and California state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,718 per month (or $1,716 every two weeks).
Is $54,440 a good salary in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
At $54,440, the median salary for forklift operators is 33.6% of the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA median household income ($162,111). It is 35% below the $84,050 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 110.4, so prices here run 10.4% above the U.S. average.