Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $31,270 | $15.03 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $40,240 | $19.35 |
| Mean (average) | $42,260 | $20.32 |
| 90th percentile | $55,140 | $26.51 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $36,670 | $26,850 | $47,910 | 36,140 | 0.9 |
| Alaska | $44,510 | $34,790 | $75,280 | 4,250 | 0.69 |
| Arizona | $44,290 | $34,620 | $57,810 | 71,090 | 1.16 |
| Arkansas | $35,920 | $28,090 | $45,920 | 21,430 | 0.87 |
| California | $44,710 | $36,060 | $57,700 | 355,500 | 1.03 |
| Colorado | $45,370 | $36,730 | $57,180 | 31,140 | 0.57 |
| Connecticut | $43,640 | $35,440 | $54,490 | 23,970 | 0.74 |
| Delaware | $37,320 | $31,200 | $47,920 | 5,220 | 0.57 |
| District of Columbia | $45,740 | $37,550 | $62,390 | 1,200 | 0.09 |
| Florida | $38,160 | $29,960 | $48,870 | 164,400 | 0.87 |
| Georgia | $38,480 | $30,100 | $50,770 | 137,580 | 1.48 |
| Guam | $37,670 | $22,640 | $48,780 | 460 | 0.37 |
| Hawaii | $44,120 | $34,090 | $61,110 | 9,490 | 0.8 |
| Idaho | $39,900 | $29,550 | $49,250 | 15,610 | 0.96 |
| Illinois | $40,550 | $31,780 | $55,840 | 195,390 | 1.69 |
| Indiana | $41,340 | $31,040 | $52,590 | 103,200 | 1.7 |
| Iowa | $43,490 | $32,790 | $53,620 | 30,890 | 1.04 |
| Kansas | $40,250 | $30,830 | $51,030 | 23,270 | 0.85 |
| Kentucky | $42,770 | $30,890 | $49,750 | 57,930 | 1.53 |
| Louisiana | $35,340 | $24,150 | $46,890 | 43,730 | 1.19 |
| Maine | $42,640 | $32,550 | $55,230 | 6,120 | 0.5 |
| Maryland | $41,600 | $34,280 | $55,710 | 47,710 | 0.91 |
| Massachusetts | $44,920 | $36,470 | $58,270 | 34,700 | 0.5 |
| Michigan | $38,860 | $30,220 | $52,080 | 79,410 | 0.95 |
| Minnesota | $46,280 | $35,750 | $61,140 | 54,480 | 0.97 |
| Mississippi | $36,400 | $27,740 | $47,280 | 30,750 | 1.39 |
| Missouri | $39,080 | $30,380 | $52,520 | 43,050 | 0.77 |
| Montana | $43,840 | $32,400 | $53,160 | 3,870 | 0.4 |
| Nebraska | $42,910 | $33,320 | $53,160 | 13,870 | 0.71 |
| Nevada | $39,350 | $33,380 | $56,690 | 40,850 | 1.39 |
| New Hampshire | $42,110 | $33,960 | $53,560 | 8,340 | 0.64 |
| New Jersey | $39,540 | $33,350 | $55,940 | 97,230 | 1.2 |
| New Mexico | $37,230 | $28,510 | $50,620 | 10,200 | 0.62 |
| New York | $44,630 | $35,360 | $59,330 | 100,950 | 0.55 |
| North Carolina | $38,230 | $30,010 | $47,590 | 116,720 | 1.24 |
| North Dakota | $45,690 | $34,940 | $59,020 | 9,990 | 1.23 |
| Ohio | $39,460 | $30,650 | $50,760 | 108,830 | 1.03 |
| Oklahoma | $36,990 | $28,840 | $47,600 | 38,210 | 1.18 |
| Oregon | $44,750 | $34,820 | $58,010 | 27,720 | 0.74 |
| Pennsylvania | $42,480 | $32,240 | $56,280 | 131,050 | 1.14 |
| Puerto Rico | $24,560 | $21,840 | $38,280 | 10,410 | 0.58 |
| Rhode Island | $41,690 | $31,700 | $58,690 | 6,760 | 0.71 |
| South Carolina | $37,530 | $29,830 | $48,230 | 56,700 | 1.3 |
| South Dakota | $38,980 | $31,340 | $50,420 | 3,820 | 0.44 |
| Tennessee | $38,160 | $30,230 | $48,420 | 105,870 | 1.7 |
| Texas | $37,540 | $29,250 | $50,140 | 216,970 | 0.81 |
| Utah | $42,370 | $33,360 | $54,790 | 29,670 | 0.9 |
| Vermont | $39,390 | $30,350 | $49,170 | 3,060 | 0.53 |
| Virgin Islands | $31,810 | $26,620 | $38,940 | 520 | 0.85 |
| Virginia | $39,380 | $31,050 | $53,700 | 58,000 | 0.74 |
| Washington | $46,190 | $37,350 | $60,280 | 49,450 | 0.73 |
| West Virginia | $36,990 | $27,270 | $50,240 | 11,300 | 0.85 |
| Wisconsin | $44,610 | $33,260 | $57,360 | 70,520 | 1.26 |
| Wyoming | $38,330 | $31,130 | $53,270 | 2,700 | 0.51 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 340,500. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 1.2%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Maintain equipment storage areas to ensure that inventory is protected.
- Read work orders or receive oral instructions to determine work assignments or material or equipment needs.
- Move freight, stock, or other materials to and from storage or production areas, loading docks, delivery vehicles, ships, or containers, by hand or using trucks, tractors, or other equipment.
Technology skills
- Warehouse management system WMS (in demand)
- Apple Safari (hot technology)
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Google Docs (hot technology)
- Microsoft Edge (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Mozilla Firefox (hot technology)
- Oracle Database (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- Data entry software
- FaceTime
- Handheld computer device software
- IBM Notes
Transferable skills for career changers: Coordination, Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Laborer, Loader, Material Handler, Merchandise Pick Up Associate, Merchandise Receiving Associate, Receiver, Receiving Associate, Shipping and Receiving Materials Handler, Warehouse Worker.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand make?
The national median annual wage for laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand was $40,240 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $31,270 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $55,140. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand need?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand a growing career?
BLS projects employment of laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand to change +1.8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 340,500 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Minnesota ($46,280), Washington ($46,190), District of Columbia ($45,740). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.