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Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Sioux City, IA?

In the Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $45,470 a year ($21.86 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 530 of these jobs there. That is 3% below the $47,030 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $38,990 and $52,490; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Iowa tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $37,639 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Sioux City, IA at a glance

Median salary

$45,470$21.86 per hour · $3,789 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$38,990$18.75/hr
25th percentile$43,570$20.95/hr
75th percentile$48,190$23.17/hr
90th percentile$52,490$25.23/hr
Jobs in this metro530Location quotient 1.41 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here3% belowAll-jobs median $47,030
Against Iowa4% belowStatewide median $47,590
Against the U.S.2% 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.

Take-home payWhat $45,000 a year leaves after tax in IowaFederal tax, FICA and Iowa withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$22 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $45,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $45,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Iowa publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Iowa.

Forklift operator salary in Sioux City, IA after taxes

$45,470
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$45,470
Net 83%
Fed 7%
IA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$37,639After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,137Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,448Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,276 / yr
Iowa state income tax$1,076 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,478 / yr
Customize deductions in full Iowa calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Sioux City, IA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What forklift operators earned in the Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IA)
10th percentile$18.75/hr$3,249$38,990$32,679
25th percentile$20.95/hr$3,631$43,570$36,185
MedianMedian$21.86/hr$3,789$45,470$37,639
75th percentile$23.17/hr$4,016$48,190$39,721
90th percentile$25.23/hr$4,374$52,490$43,013

Is $45,470 a good salary in Sioux City, IA?

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$75,192Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)86.513.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household60.5%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 Iowa metros

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

Forklift operator pay in Sioux City, IA: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metro area was $45,470 in May 2025, about $3,789 a month or $21.86 an hour. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $47,590, so the metro pays 4% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD was $21.86 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $18.75 an hour and one in ten earned more than $25.23.

How many forklift operators work in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD?

BLS estimated 530 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 7.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.41 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD run from $38,990 at the 10th percentile to $43,570 at the 25th, $48,190 at the 75th, and $52,490 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD?

On a median gross salary of $45,470, an estimated $37,639 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,448 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,831 (an effective rate of 17.2%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD?

On the median annual salary of $45,470, gross monthly income is $3,789. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,137 per month (or $1,448 every two weeks).

Is $45,470 a good salary in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD?

At $45,470, the median salary for forklift operators is 60.5% of the Sioux City, IA-NE-SD median household income ($75,192). It is 3% below the $47,030 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 86.5, so prices here run 13.5% below the U.S. average.