Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Sioux Falls, SD?

In the Sioux Falls, SD-MN metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $47,410 a year ($22.79 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 880 of these jobs there. That is 1% below the $47,970 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $40,390 and $60,250; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Minnesota tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $38,556 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Sioux Falls, SD at a glance

Median salary

$47,410$22.79 per hour · $3,951 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$40,390$19.42/hr
25th percentile$44,440$21.36/hr
75th percentile$53,150$25.55/hr
90th percentile$60,250$28.96/hr
Jobs in this metro880Location quotient 0.99 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here1% belowAll-jobs median $47,970
Against Minnesota5% belowStatewide median $49,740
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.

Forklift operator salary in Sioux Falls, SD after taxes

$47,410
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$47,410
Net 81%
Fed 7%
MN 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$38,556After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,213Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,483Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,509 / yr
Minnesota state income tax$1,718 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,627 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Sioux Falls, SD, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MN)
10th percentile$19.42/hr$3,366$40,390$33,291
25th percentile$21.36/hr$3,703$44,440$36,329
MedianMedian$22.79/hr$3,951$47,410$38,556
75th percentile$25.55/hr$4,429$53,150$42,795
90th percentile$28.96/hr$5,021$60,250$48,017

Is $47,410 a good salary in Sioux Falls, SD?

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$82,754Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)90.69.4% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household57.3%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Sioux Falls, SD: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Sioux Falls, SD-MN?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area was $47,410 in May 2025, about $3,951 a month or $22.79 an hour. Statewide, the Minnesota median for this job is $49,740, so the metro pays 5% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Sioux Falls, SD-MN?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Sioux Falls, SD-MN was $22.79 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $19.42 an hour and one in ten earned more than $28.96.

How many forklift operators work in Sioux Falls, SD-MN?

BLS estimated 880 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 4.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.99 means the job is about as common here as in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Sioux Falls, SD-MN?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Sioux Falls, SD-MN run from $40,390 at the 10th percentile to $44,440 at the 25th, $53,150 at the 75th, and $60,250 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Sioux Falls, SD-MN?

On a median gross salary of $47,410, an estimated $38,556 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,483 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Minnesota in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,854 (an effective rate of 18.7%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Sioux Falls, SD-MN?

On the median annual salary of $47,410, gross monthly income is $3,951. After federal, FICA, and Minnesota state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,213 per month (or $1,483 every two weeks).

Is $47,410 a good salary in Sioux Falls, SD-MN?

At $47,410, the median salary for forklift operators is 57.3% of the Sioux Falls, SD-MN median household income ($82,754). It is 1% below the $47,970 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 90.6, so prices here run 9.4% below the U.S. average.