Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

In the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $43,090 a year ($20.71 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 860 of these jobs there. That is 32% below the $63,490 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $35,330 and $60,700; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and New Jersey tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $35,970 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Trenton-Princeton, NJ at a glance

Median salary

$43,090$20.71 per hour · $3,591 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$35,330$16.99/hr
25th percentile$37,130$17.85/hr
75th percentile$48,360$23.25/hr
90th percentile$60,700$29.18/hr
Jobs in this metro860Location quotient 0.72 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here32% belowAll-jobs median $63,490
Against New Jersey7% belowStatewide median $46,100
Against the U.S.7% 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 Trenton-Princeton, NJ after taxes

$43,090
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$43,090
Net 83%
Fed 7%
NJ 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$35,970After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,997Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,383Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,991 / yr
New Jersey state income tax$833 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,296 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Trenton-Princeton, NJ, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NJ)
10th percentile$16.99/hr$2,944$35,330$30,037
25th percentile$17.85/hr$3,094$37,130$31,432
MedianMedian$20.71/hr$3,591$43,090$35,970
75th percentile$23.25/hr$4,030$48,360$39,913
90th percentile$29.18/hr$5,058$60,700$49,147

Is $43,090 a good salary in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

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$100,645Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)103.23.2% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household42.8%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Trenton-Princeton, NJ: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area was $43,090 in May 2025, about $3,591 a month or $20.71 an hour. Statewide, the New Jersey median for this job is $46,100, so the metro pays 7% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Trenton-Princeton, NJ was $20.71 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.99 an hour and one in ten earned more than $29.18.

How many forklift operators work in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

BLS estimated 860 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 3.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.72 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Trenton-Princeton, NJ run from $35,330 at the 10th percentile to $37,130 at the 25th, $48,360 at the 75th, and $60,700 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

On a median gross salary of $43,090, an estimated $35,970 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,383 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in New Jersey in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,120 (an effective rate of 16.5%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

On the median annual salary of $43,090, gross monthly income is $3,591. After federal, FICA, and New Jersey state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,997 per month (or $1,383 every two weeks).

Is $43,090 a good salary in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

At $43,090, the median salary for forklift operators is 42.8% of the Trenton-Princeton, NJ median household income ($100,645). It is 32% below the $63,490 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 103.2, so prices here run 3.2% above the U.S. average.