Forklift Operator Salary in Memphis, TN (2026)
Median in Memphis: $21.41/hour ($44,540/year) — $1,880 (4%) below the national median. Typical range: $38,400–$48,410.
BLS OEWS May 2025 · Memphis, TN metro · refreshed 2026-08-25 · Reviewed by Dalton Metzler · U.S. Forklift Operator salary overview
The median Forklift Operator salary in Memphis, TN is $21.41/hour ($44,540/year) ($1,880 (4%) below the national median), with a typical range of $38,400–$48,410. Data from BLS + Jobeezy ghost-filter (2026).
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median | $21.41/hour ($44,540/year) | BLS OEWS May 2025 |
| 25th-75th pct | $38,400–$48,410 | BLS OEWS May 2025 |
| Metro employment | ~7,950 | BLS OEWS May 2025 |
Forklift Operator pay distribution in Memphis, TN
National median: $46,420/yr. Memphis is $1,880 (4%) below the national median.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 — Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area (SOC 53-7051, Forklift Operator).
What forklift operator pay in Memphis really looks like
Memphis tracks the national market almost exactly. The local forklift operator median of about $21.41 an hour ($44,540 a year) sits within 4% ($1,880) of the U.S. median of $46,420, so national salary benchmarks translate cleanly to this metro — the number you have seen quoted nationally is, give or take, what forklift operators actually earn in Memphis.
Pay is tightly clustered here: the 25th-to-75th-percentile band runs just $38,400 to $48,410 (BLS). A narrow spread means the metro median is a dependable expectation rather than a midpoint between wildly different jobs — there is little room above it without a credential, a specialty, or a supervisory step, so the ladder up is about the role, not just the employer.
This is a substantial local market: BLS estimates roughly 7,950 forklift operator jobs across the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area (a count of metro employment, not a survey of reported salaries). A deep employer base is good news for pay — it means more openings to compare side by side, more turnover creating vacancies, and more leverage to hold out for an employer at the top of the local range instead of settling for the first offer that lands.
Right now, Jobeezy is tracking 24 open forklift operator jobs in Memphis against the BLS $44,540 benchmark — the live listings and the employers hiring are below, so you can see which openings actually clear the metro median before you apply.
Put it together and the picture for Memphis is concrete: a metro median of $44,540 with most forklift operators landing between $38,400 and $48,410. The practical move is to aim for the upper half of that band. Jobeezy fit-scores local forklift operator openings, surfaces the employers posting toward $48,410, and applies for you — so your time goes to the jobs that clear the Memphis median, not the ones that sit under it.
Forklift Operator pay by hour, week, month & year in Memphis
| Period | Typical Pay |
|---|---|
| Per hour | $21.41 |
| Per week (40 hrs) | $856 |
| Per month | $3,712 |
| Per year | $44,540 |
How we know this — Memphis sources
Wage figures for Forklift Operator in Memphis, TN are the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025 estimate for the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area (MSA code 32820) (SOC 53-7051), released 2026-08-25. Suppressed cells are shown as an em dash, never a zero.
Grow your forklift operator pay in Memphis
Advancing your pay in Memphis comes down to experience, credentials, and how you negotiate. We keep that guidance on the national Forklift Operator guide so it stays current in one place:
Compare Forklift Operator pay in nearby metros
Related roles in Memphis
Beyond Forklift Operator · same Memphis BLS datasetOther roles hiring in Memphis, TN alongside forklift operators, drawn from the same BLS OEWS May 2025 dataset:
- 01Memphis · TN · median $81,500Registered Nurse pay in Memphis
- 02Memphis · TN · median $59,140Sales Representative pay in Memphis
- 03Memphis · TN · median $102,510Operations Manager pay in Memphis
- 04Memphis · TN · median $71,230Logistics Coordinator pay in Memphis
- 05Memphis · TN · median $62,350Warehouse Supervisor pay in Memphis
- 06Memphis · TN · median $78,580Dental Hygienist pay in Memphis
- 07Memphis · TN · median $39,260Medical Assistant pay in Memphis
- 08Memphis · TN · median $60,890Electrician pay in Memphis
Forklift Operator pay in Memphis, TN — common questions
- How much does a Forklift Operator make in Memphis, TN?
- The median Forklift Operator salary in Memphis, TN is $21.41/hour ($44,540/year) ($1,880 (4%) below the national median), with a typical range of $38,400–$48,410 (25th–75th percentile). Figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-08-25.
- Is Memphis a strong pay market for Forklift Operators?
- At a $44,540 median, Memphis is $1,880 (4%) below the national median. The U.S. median is $46,420. Jobeezy shows you which local employers actually pay at the top of that band before you apply.
- How can I earn more as a Forklift Operator in Memphis?
- Target employers paying toward the $48,410 (75th-percentile) mark and anchor your negotiation to the BLS band. Jobeezy fit-scores Forklift Operator openings in Memphis and auto-applies, so you reach more high-paying employers fast.
- How many Forklift Operators work in Memphis?
- BLS estimates roughly 7,950 forklift operator jobs across Memphis, TN-MS-AR (May 2025 metro employment — a count of jobs, not of salaries reported).