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Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Salary
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand earn a median $40,240 a year in the U.S., with 2,950,280 jobs (May 2025).
- Median wage
- $40,240 a year
- Employment
- 2,950,280
- Excludes self-employed
- Projected growth
- +1.8%
- 2025 to 2035
- Openings per year
- 340,500
- Average, including replacements
Pay range nationally
The middle half of workers earn between the 25th and 75th percentile (shaded)
- Median (50%)
- $40,240 · $19.35 an hour
- Mean (average)
- $42,260 · $20.32 an hour (estimate error ±0.1%)
- 10th percentile
- $31,270 · $15.03 an hour
- 25th percentile
- $36,090 · $17.35 an hour
- 75th percentile
- $46,920 · $22.56 an hour
- 90th percentile
- $55,140 · $26.51 an hour
- Employment
- 2,950,280 (estimate error ±0.4%)
What they do
Standard Occupational Classification definition
Manually move freight, stock, luggage, or other materials, or perform other general labor. Includes all manual laborers not elsewhere classified. Excludes “Construction Laborers” (47-2061) and “Helpers, Construction Trades” (47-3011 through 47-3019). Excludes “Material Moving Workers” (53-7011 through 53-7199) who use power equipment.
Job outlook
BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035
- Jobs in 2025
- 2.94 million
- Projected for 2035
- 2.99 million
- Change
- +51,600 (+1.8%)
- Openings each year
- 340,500
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- 1.2%
Occupational Outlook Handbook (duties, how to become one, work environment)
Highest paying states
Median wage for this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | State | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $46,280 | 54,480 |
| 2 | Washington | $46,190 | 49,450 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $45,740 | 1,200 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $45,690 | 9,990 |
| 5 | Colorado | $45,370 | 31,140 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $44,920 | 34,700 |
| 7 | Oregon | $44,750 | 27,720 |
| 8 | California | $44,710 | 355,500 |
| 9 | New York | $44,630 | 100,950 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $44,610 | 70,520 |
States with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| State | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| California | 355,500 | $44,710 |
| Texas | 216,970 | $37,540 |
| Illinois | 195,390 | $40,550 |
| Florida | 164,400 | $38,160 |
| Georgia | 137,580 | $38,480 |
| Pennsylvania | 131,050 | $42,480 |
| North Carolina | 116,720 | $38,230 |
| Ohio | 108,830 | $39,460 |
| Tennessee | 105,870 | $38,160 |
| Indiana | 103,200 | $41,340 |
Highest paying metro areas
Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | Metro area | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Topeka, KS | $49,140 | 2,140 |
| 2 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $48,420 | 790 |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $48,400 | 30,710 |
| 4 | Sheboygan, WI | $48,150 | 1,550 |
| 5 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $47,740 | 29,490 |
| 6 | Chambersburg, PA | $47,540 | 3,130 |
| 7 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $47,490 | 1,040 |
| 8 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $47,440 | 2,920 |
| 9 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $47,330 | 15,030 |
| 10 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $47,320 | 36,700 |
| 11 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $47,310 | 1,880 |
| 12 | Albany, OR | $47,150 | 1,590 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Metro area | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 157,920 | $40,550 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 120,720 | $42,390 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 118,290 | $43,290 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 81,940 | $38,510 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 78,460 | $39,020 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 69,820 | $46,060 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 56,420 | $44,950 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 52,520 | $38,000 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 51,100 | $43,460 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 48,860 | $38,580 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 48,100 | $44,180 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 40,540 | $38,850 |
Visa filings for this occupation
Wages employers offered on Department of Labor filings
- H-1B (FY 2026 through Q3)0 certified filingsMedian offered wage Not reported
- PERM green card (FY 2026 through Q3)461 certified filingsMedian offered wage $31,200
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand pay by state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Guam
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Related occupations
- Conveyor Operators and Tenders
- Crane and Tower Operators
- Dredge Operators
- Hoist and Winch Operators
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
- Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment
- Machine Feeders and Offbearers
- Packers and Packagers, Hand
- Stockers and Order Fillers
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
- Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
- Wellhead Pumpers
Frequently asked questions
- How much do laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand make?
- The median wage for laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand in the U.S. is $40,240 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,090 and $46,920.
- Which state pays laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand the most?
- Minnesota has the highest median wage for this occupation at $46,280 a year.
- What is the job outlook for laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand?
- BLS projects employment to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035, with about 340,500 openings each year on average.
- What education do laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand need?
- The typical entry-level education is: no formal educational credential.