State College, PA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in State College, PA?

In the State College, PA metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $43,860 a year ($21.09 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 70 of these jobs there. That is 11% below the $49,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $37,690 and $53,550; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Pennsylvania tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $36,075 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in State College, PA at a glance

Median salary

$43,860$21.09 per hour · $3,655 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$37,690$18.12/hr
25th percentile$39,590$19.03/hr
75th percentile$44,880$21.58/hr
90th percentile$53,550$25.74/hr
Jobs in this metro70Location quotient 0.22 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here11% belowAll-jobs median $49,220
Against Pennsylvania8% belowStatewide median $47,730
Against the U.S.6% 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 State College, PA after taxes

$43,860
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$43,860
Net 82%
Fed 7%
PA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$36,075After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,006Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,388Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,083 / yr
Pennsylvania state income tax$1,347 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,355 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in State College, PA, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the State College, PA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (PA)
10th percentile$18.12/hr$3,141$37,690$31,307
25th percentile$19.03/hr$3,299$39,590$32,775
MedianMedian$21.09/hr$3,655$43,860$36,075
75th percentile$21.58/hr$3,740$44,880$36,863
90th percentile$25.74/hr$4,463$53,550$43,563

Is $43,860 a good salary in State College, PA?

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$74,291Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)96.83.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household59%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in State College, PA: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in State College, PA?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the State College, PA metro area was $43,860 in May 2025, about $3,655 a month or $21.09 an hour. Statewide, the Pennsylvania median for this job is $47,730, so the metro pays 8% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in State College, PA?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in State College, PA was $21.09 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $18.12 an hour and one in ten earned more than $25.74.

How many forklift operators work in State College, PA?

BLS estimated 70 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 1.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.22 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in State College, PA?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in State College, PA run from $37,690 at the 10th percentile to $39,590 at the 25th, $44,880 at the 75th, and $53,550 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in State College, PA?

On a median gross salary of $43,860, an estimated $36,075 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,388 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Pennsylvania in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,785 (an effective rate of 17.7%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in State College, PA?

On the median annual salary of $43,860, gross monthly income is $3,655. After federal, FICA, and Pennsylvania state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,006 per month (or $1,388 every two weeks).

Is $43,860 a good salary in State College, PA?

At $43,860, the median salary for forklift operators is 59% of the State College, PA median household income ($74,291). It is 11% below the $49,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 96.8, so prices here run 3.2% below the U.S. average.