Topeka, KS metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Topeka, KS?

In the Topeka, KS metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $49,440 a year ($23.77 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 900 of these jobs there. That is about the same as the $49,540 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $41,610 and $56,060; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Kansas tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $39,946 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Topeka, KS at a glance

Median salary

$49,440$23.77 per hour · $4,120 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$41,610$20.01/hr
25th percentile$48,860$23.49/hr
75th percentile$49,780$23.93/hr
90th percentile$56,060$26.95/hr
Jobs in this metro900Location quotient 1.55 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs hereabout the same asAll-jobs median $49,540
Against Kansas4% aboveStatewide median $47,430
Against the U.S.7% 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 Topeka, KS after taxes

$49,440
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$49,440
Net 81%
Fed 8%
KS 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$39,946After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,329Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,536Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,753 / yr
Kansas state income tax$1,959 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,782 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Topeka, KS, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Topeka, KS metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (KS)
10th percentile$20.01/hr$3,468$41,610$34,091
25th percentile$23.49/hr$4,072$48,860$39,512
MedianMedian$23.77/hr$4,120$49,440$39,946
75th percentile$23.93/hr$4,148$49,780$40,200
90th percentile$26.95/hr$4,672$56,060$44,896

Is $49,440 a good salary in Topeka, KS?

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$69,888Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.811.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household70.7%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Topeka, KS: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Topeka, KS?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Topeka, KS metro area was $49,440 in May 2025, about $4,120 a month or $23.77 an hour. Statewide, the Kansas median for this job is $47,430, so the metro pays 4% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Topeka, KS?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Topeka, KS was $23.77 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $20.01 an hour and one in ten earned more than $26.95.

How many forklift operators work in Topeka, KS?

BLS estimated 900 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 7.7 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.55 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Topeka, KS?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Topeka, KS run from $41,610 at the 10th percentile to $48,860 at the 25th, $49,780 at the 75th, and $56,060 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Topeka, KS?

On a median gross salary of $49,440, an estimated $39,946 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,536 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Kansas in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $9,494 (an effective rate of 19.2%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Topeka, KS?

On the median annual salary of $49,440, gross monthly income is $4,120. After federal, FICA, and Kansas state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,329 per month (or $1,536 every two weeks).

Is $49,440 a good salary in Topeka, KS?

At $49,440, the median salary for forklift operators is 70.7% of the Topeka, KS median household income ($69,888). It is about the same as the $49,540 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.8, so prices here run 11.2% below the U.S. average.