Sumter, SC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Sumter, SC?

In the Sumter, SC metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $37,480 a year ($18.02 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 150 of these jobs there. That is 13% below the $42,890 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $35,360 and $47,300; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and South Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,848 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Sumter, SC at a glance

Median salary

$37,480$18.02 per hour · $3,123 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$35,360$17.00/hr
25th percentile$35,710$17.17/hr
75th percentile$39,840$19.15/hr
90th percentile$47,300$22.74/hr
Jobs in this metro150Location quotient 0.88 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here13% belowAll-jobs median $42,890
Against South Carolina14% belowStatewide median $43,680
Against the U.S.19% 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 Sumter, SC after taxes

$37,480
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,480
Net 85%
Fed 6%
SC 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,848After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,654Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,225Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,318 / yr
South Carolina state income tax$447 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,867 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Sumter, SC, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Sumter, SC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (SC)
10th percentile$17.00/hr$2,947$35,360$30,187
25th percentile$17.17/hr$2,976$35,710$30,461
MedianMedian$18.02/hr$3,123$37,480$31,848
75th percentile$19.15/hr$3,320$39,840$33,697
90th percentile$22.74/hr$3,942$47,300$39,365

Is $37,480 a good salary in Sumter, SC?

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$56,693Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.012% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household66.1%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Sumter, SC: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Sumter, SC?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Sumter, SC metro area was $37,480 in May 2025, about $3,123 a month or $18.02 an hour. Statewide, the South Carolina median for this job is $43,680, so the metro pays 14% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Sumter, SC?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Sumter, SC was $18.02 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.00 an hour and one in ten earned more than $22.74.

How many forklift operators work in Sumter, SC?

BLS estimated 150 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 4.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.88 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Sumter, SC?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Sumter, SC run from $35,360 at the 10th percentile to $35,710 at the 25th, $39,840 at the 75th, and $47,300 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Sumter, SC?

On a median gross salary of $37,480, an estimated $31,848 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,225 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in South Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,632 (an effective rate of 15%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Sumter, SC?

On the median annual salary of $37,480, gross monthly income is $3,123. After federal, FICA, and South Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,654 per month (or $1,225 every two weeks).

Is $37,480 a good salary in Sumter, SC?

At $37,480, the median salary for forklift operators is 66.1% of the Sumter, SC median household income ($56,693). It is 13% below the $42,890 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.0, so prices here run 12% below the U.S. average.