South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN?

In the South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $44,350 a year ($21.32 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 590 of these jobs there. That is 5% below the $46,540 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $37,290 and $60,110; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Indiana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $36,536 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN at a glance

Median salary

$44,350$21.32 per hour · $3,696 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$37,290$17.93/hr
25th percentile$39,590$19.03/hr
75th percentile$50,020$24.05/hr
90th percentile$60,110$28.90/hr
Jobs in this metro590Location quotient 0.89 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here5% belowAll-jobs median $46,540
Against Indiana3% belowStatewide median $45,650
Against the U.S.4% 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.

Forklift operator salary in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN after taxes

$44,350
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$44,350
Net 82%
Fed 7%
IN 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$36,536After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,045Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,405Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,142 / yr
Indiana state income tax$1,279 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,393 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What forklift operators earned in the South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IN)
10th percentile$17.93/hr$3,108$37,290$31,072
25th percentile$19.03/hr$3,299$39,590$32,852
MedianMedian$21.32/hr$3,696$44,350$36,536
75th percentile$24.05/hr$4,168$50,020$40,925
90th percentile$28.90/hr$5,009$60,110$48,735

Is $44,350 a good salary in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN?

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$67,217Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)92.97.1% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household66%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metro area was $44,350 in May 2025, about $3,696 a month or $21.32 an hour. Statewide, the Indiana median for this job is $45,650, so the metro pays 3% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI was $21.32 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.93 an hour and one in ten earned more than $28.90.

How many forklift operators work in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?

BLS estimated 590 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 4.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.89 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI run from $37,290 at the 10th percentile to $39,590 at the 25th, $50,020 at the 75th, and $60,110 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?

On a median gross salary of $44,350, an estimated $36,536 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,405 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Indiana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,814 (an effective rate of 17.6%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?

On the median annual salary of $44,350, gross monthly income is $3,696. After federal, FICA, and Indiana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,045 per month (or $1,405 every two weeks).

Is $44,350 a good salary in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?

At $44,350, the median salary for forklift operators is 66% of the South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI median household income ($67,217). It is 5% below the $46,540 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 92.9, so prices here run 7.1% below the U.S. average.