Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA?

In the Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $41,900 a year ($20.14 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 430 of these jobs there. That is 15% below the $49,290 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $37,350 and $54,370; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Washington tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $35,847 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA at a glance

Median salary

$41,900$20.14 per hour · $3,492 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$37,350$17.96/hr
25th percentile$39,450$18.97/hr
75th percentile$44,960$21.62/hr
90th percentile$54,370$26.14/hr
Jobs in this metro430Location quotient 1.69 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here15% belowAll-jobs median $49,290
Against Washington16% belowStatewide median $49,910
Against the U.S.10% 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 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA after taxes

$41,900
$15,000$85,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$41,900
Net 86%
Fed 7%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$35,847After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,987Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,379Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,848 / yr
Washington state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,205 / yr

Forklift operators pay range in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA, hourly and yearly

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

What forklift operators earned in the Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WA)
10th percentile$17.96/hr$3,113$37,350$32,191
25th percentile$18.97/hr$3,288$39,450$33,878
MedianMedian$20.14/hr$3,492$41,900$35,847
75th percentile$21.62/hr$3,747$44,960$38,305
90th percentile$26.14/hr$4,531$54,370$45,866

Is $41,900 a good salary in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA?

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$81,938Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)103.93.9% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household51.1%of area median income

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

Forklift operator pay in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA metro area was $41,900 in May 2025, about $3,492 a month or $20.14 an hour. Statewide, the Washington median for this job is $49,910, so the metro pays 16% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA was $20.14 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.96 an hour and one in ten earned more than $26.14.

How many forklift operators work in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA?

BLS estimated 430 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 8.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.69 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA run from $37,350 at the 10th percentile to $39,450 at the 25th, $44,960 at the 75th, and $54,370 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA?

On a median gross salary of $41,900, an estimated $35,847 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,379 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Washington in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,053 (an effective rate of 14.4%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA?

On the median annual salary of $41,900, gross monthly income is $3,492. After federal, FICA, and Washington state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,987 per month (or $1,379 every two weeks).

Is $41,900 a good salary in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA?

At $41,900, the median salary for forklift operators is 51.1% of the Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA median household income ($81,938). It is 15% below the $49,290 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 103.9, so prices here run 3.9% above the U.S. average.