Springfield, MO metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Springfield, MO?

In the Springfield, MO metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $45,230 a year ($21.74 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,180 of these jobs there. That is 1% below the $45,780 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $36,490 and $59,440; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Missouri tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $37,351 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Springfield, MO at a glance

Median salary

$45,230$21.74 per hour · $3,769 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$36,490$17.55/hr
25th percentile$39,790$19.13/hr
75th percentile$51,830$24.92/hr
90th percentile$59,440$28.58/hr
Jobs in this metro1,180Location quotient 1.07 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here1% belowAll-jobs median $45,780
Against Missouriabout the same asStatewide median $45,190
Against the U.S.3% 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 Springfield, MO after taxes

$45,230
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$45,230
Net 83%
Fed 7%
MO 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$37,351After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,113Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,437Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,248 / yr
Missouri state income tax$1,171 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,460 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Springfield, MO, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Springfield, MO metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MO)
10th percentile$17.55/hr$3,041$36,490$30,727
25th percentile$19.13/hr$3,316$39,790$33,228
MedianMedian$21.74/hr$3,769$45,230$37,351
75th percentile$24.92/hr$4,319$51,830$42,334
90th percentile$28.58/hr$4,953$59,440$48,098

Is $45,230 a good salary in Springfield, MO?

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$65,071Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.611.4% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household69.5%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Springfield, MO: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Springfield, MO?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Springfield, MO metro area was $45,230 in May 2025, about $3,769 a month or $21.74 an hour. Statewide, the Missouri median for this job is $45,190, so the metro pays about the same as the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Springfield, MO?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Springfield, MO was $21.74 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.55 an hour and one in ten earned more than $28.58.

How many forklift operators work in Springfield, MO?

BLS estimated 1,180 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 5.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.07 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Springfield, MO?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Springfield, MO run from $36,490 at the 10th percentile to $39,790 at the 25th, $51,830 at the 75th, and $59,440 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Springfield, MO?

On a median gross salary of $45,230, an estimated $37,351 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,437 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Missouri in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,879 (an effective rate of 17.4%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Springfield, MO?

On the median annual salary of $45,230, gross monthly income is $3,769. After federal, FICA, and Missouri state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,113 per month (or $1,437 every two weeks).

Is $45,230 a good salary in Springfield, MO?

At $45,230, the median salary for forklift operators is 69.5% of the Springfield, MO median household income ($65,071). It is 1% below the $45,780 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.6, so prices here run 11.4% below the U.S. average.