SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 53-7062.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $31,270 | $2,606 | $601 | $15.03 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $36,090 | $3,008 | $694 | $17.35 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $40,240 | $3,353 | $774 | $19.35 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $46,920 | $3,910 | $902 | $22.56 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $55,140 | $4,595 | $1,060 | $26.51 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand is $40,240, which is 21% lower. Among the 50 occupations of the field Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks number 40 by median pay. With 2,950,280 jobs, it makes up about 190 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand pay by state
The highest median pay was in Minnesota ($46,280), Washington ($46,190) and District of Columbia ($45,740). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($24,560), Virgin Islands ($31,810) and Louisiana ($35,340). The most jobs were in California (355,500), Texas (216,970) and Illinois (195,390). The occupation is most concentrated in Indiana, where its share of all jobs is 1.7 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 54,480 | $46,280 | $46,920 | $22.25 |
| Washington | 49,450 | $46,190 | $47,680 | $22.21 |
| District of Columbia | 1,200 | $45,740 | $49,250 | $21.99 |
| North Dakota | 9,990 | $45,690 | $45,910 | $21.97 |
| Colorado | 31,140 | $45,370 | $45,860 | $21.81 |
| Massachusetts | 34,700 | $44,920 | $45,760 | $21.60 |
| Oregon | 27,720 | $44,750 | $45,740 | $21.52 |
| California | 355,500 | $44,710 | $45,590 | $21.50 |
| New York | 100,950 | $44,630 | $46,200 | $21.46 |
| Wisconsin | 70,520 | $44,610 | $44,080 | $21.45 |
| Alaska | 4,250 | $44,510 | $50,550 | $21.40 |
| Arizona | 71,090 | $44,290 | $44,190 | $21.29 |
| Hawaii | 9,490 | $44,120 | $47,640 | $21.21 |
| Montana | 3,870 | $43,840 | $42,680 | $21.08 |
| Connecticut | 23,970 | $43,640 | $44,320 | $20.98 |
| Iowa | 30,890 | $43,490 | $43,520 | $20.91 |
| Nebraska | 13,870 | $42,910 | $42,850 | $20.63 |
| Kentucky | 57,930 | $42,770 | $41,960 | $20.56 |
| Maine | 6,120 | $42,640 | $43,040 | $20.50 |
| Pennsylvania | 131,050 | $42,480 | $43,130 | $20.43 |
| Utah | 29,670 | $42,370 | $42,720 | $20.37 |
| New Hampshire | 8,340 | $42,110 | $42,530 | $20.25 |
| Rhode Island | 6,760 | $41,690 | $43,710 | $20.05 |
| Maryland | 47,710 | $41,600 | $42,990 | $20.00 |
| Indiana | 103,200 | $41,340 | $41,850 | $19.87 |
| Illinois | 195,390 | $40,550 | $42,960 | $19.50 |
| Kansas | 23,270 | $40,250 | $41,310 | $19.35 |
| Idaho | 15,610 | $39,900 | $40,810 | $19.18 |
| New Jersey | 97,230 | $39,540 | $42,540 | $19.01 |
| Ohio | 108,830 | $39,460 | $41,000 | $18.97 |
| Vermont | 3,060 | $39,390 | $40,930 | $18.94 |
| Virginia | 58,000 | $39,380 | $42,330 | $18.94 |
| Nevada | 40,850 | $39,350 | $43,190 | $18.92 |
| Missouri | 43,050 | $39,080 | $41,190 | $18.79 |
| South Dakota | 3,820 | $38,980 | $41,290 | $18.74 |
| Michigan | 79,410 | $38,860 | $41,230 | $18.68 |
| Georgia | 137,580 | $38,480 | $40,450 | $18.50 |
| Wyoming | 2,700 | $38,330 | $41,360 | $18.43 |
| North Carolina | 116,720 | $38,230 | $39,390 | $18.38 |
| Florida | 164,400 | $38,160 | $40,260 | $18.35 |
| Tennessee | 105,870 | $38,160 | $40,020 | $18.35 |
| Guam | 460 | $37,670 | $36,200 | $18.11 |
| Texas | 216,970 | $37,540 | $39,400 | $18.05 |
| South Carolina | 56,700 | $37,530 | $39,140 | $18.04 |
| Delaware | 5,220 | $37,320 | $39,740 | $17.94 |
| New Mexico | 10,200 | $37,230 | $38,990 | $17.90 |
| Oklahoma | 38,210 | $36,990 | $37,790 | $17.78 |
| West Virginia | 11,300 | $36,990 | $38,490 | $17.79 |
| Alabama | 36,140 | $36,670 | $37,480 | $17.63 |
| Mississippi | 30,750 | $36,400 | $37,170 | $17.50 |
| Arkansas | 21,430 | $35,920 | $36,730 | $17.27 |
| Louisiana | 43,730 | $35,340 | $35,720 | $16.99 |
| Virgin Islands | 520 | $31,810 | $32,800 | $15.30 |
| Puerto Rico | 10,410 | $24,560 | $27,240 | $11.81 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Material Moving Workers, All Other$41,800 a year
- Machine Feeders and Offbearers$41,220 a year
- Aircraft Service Attendants$40,450 a year
- Driver/Sales Workers$38,770 a year
- Passenger Attendants$37,720 a year
- Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330 a year
Common questions
How much do Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand earn in the United States?
The median pay was $40,240 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $31,270 and the highest-paid 10% more than $55,140.
How many people work as Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand?
About 2,950,280 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.