Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?

In the Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $46,460 a year ($22.34 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,780 of these jobs there. That is 15% below the $54,660 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $45,480 and $58,550; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Washington tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $39,511 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA at a glance

Median salary

$46,460$22.34 per hour · $3,872 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$45,480$21.87/hr
25th percentile$46,460$22.34/hr
75th percentile$57,990$27.88/hr
90th percentile$58,550$28.15/hr
Jobs in this metro1,780Location quotient 1.40 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here15% belowAll-jobs median $54,660
Against Washington7% belowStatewide median $49,910
Against the U.S.about the same asNational 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 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA after taxes

$46,460
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$46,460
Net 85%
Fed 7%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$39,511After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,293Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,520Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,395 / yr
Washington state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,554 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What forklift operators earned in the Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WA)
10th percentile$21.87/hr$3,790$45,480$38,723
25th percentile$22.34/hr$3,872$46,460$39,511
MedianMedian$22.34/hr$3,872$46,460$39,511
75th percentile$27.88/hr$4,833$57,990$48,775
90th percentile$28.15/hr$4,879$58,550$49,225

Is $46,460 a good salary in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?

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$77,488Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)100.30.3% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household60%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA metro area was $46,460 in May 2025, about $3,872 a month or $22.34 an hour. Statewide, the Washington median for this job is $49,910, so the metro pays 7% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA was $22.34 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $21.87 an hour and one in ten earned more than $28.15.

How many forklift operators work in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?

BLS estimated 1,780 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 7.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.40 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA run from $45,480 at the 10th percentile to $46,460 at the 25th, $57,990 at the 75th, and $58,550 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?

On a median gross salary of $46,460, an estimated $39,511 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,520 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Washington in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,949 (an effective rate of 15%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?

On the median annual salary of $46,460, gross monthly income is $3,872. After federal, FICA, and Washington state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,293 per month (or $1,520 every two weeks).

Is $46,460 a good salary in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?

At $46,460, the median salary for forklift operators is 60% of the Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA median household income ($77,488). It is 15% below the $54,660 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 100.3, so prices here run 0.3% above the U.S. average.