Stockton-Lodi, CA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Stockton-Lodi, CA?

In the Stockton-Lodi, CA metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $48,290 a year ($23.22 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 5,810 of these jobs there. That is 1% below the $48,990 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $39,160 and $63,100; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and California tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $40,044 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Stockton-Lodi, CA at a glance

Median salary

$48,290$23.22 per hour · $4,024 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$39,160$18.83/hr
25th percentile$45,290$21.78/hr
75th percentile$58,800$28.27/hr
90th percentile$63,100$30.34/hr
Jobs in this metro5,810Location quotient 4.02 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here1% belowAll-jobs median $48,990
Against California1% aboveStatewide median $47,770
Against the U.S.4% 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 Stockton-Lodi, CA after taxes

$48,290
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$48,290
Net 83%
Fed 7%
CA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$40,044After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,337Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,540Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,615 / yr
California state income tax$937 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,694 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Stockton-Lodi, CA, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Stockton-Lodi, CA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CA)
10th percentile$18.83/hr$3,263$39,160$33,096
25th percentile$21.78/hr$3,774$45,290$37,776
MedianMedian$23.22/hr$4,024$48,290$40,044
75th percentile$28.27/hr$4,900$58,800$47,858
90th percentile$30.34/hr$5,258$63,100$51,055

Is $48,290 a good salary in Stockton-Lodi, CA?

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$92,179Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)105.15.1% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household52.4%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Stockton-Lodi, CA: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Stockton-Lodi, CA?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Stockton-Lodi, CA metro area was $48,290 in May 2025, about $4,024 a month or $23.22 an hour. Statewide, the California median for this job is $47,770, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Stockton-Lodi, CA?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Stockton-Lodi, CA was $23.22 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $18.83 an hour and one in ten earned more than $30.34.

How many forklift operators work in Stockton-Lodi, CA?

BLS estimated 5,810 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 20.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 4.02 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Stockton-Lodi, CA?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Stockton-Lodi, CA run from $39,160 at the 10th percentile to $45,290 at the 25th, $58,800 at the 75th, and $63,100 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Stockton-Lodi, CA?

On a median gross salary of $48,290, an estimated $40,044 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,540 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in California in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,246 (an effective rate of 17.1%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Stockton-Lodi, CA?

On the median annual salary of $48,290, gross monthly income is $4,024. After federal, FICA, and California state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,337 per month (or $1,540 every two weeks).

Is $48,290 a good salary in Stockton-Lodi, CA?

At $48,290, the median salary for forklift operators is 52.4% of the Stockton-Lodi, CA median household income ($92,179). It is 1% below the $48,990 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 105.1, so prices here run 5.1% above the U.S. average.