Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$31,270
- 25th Percentile — Junior$36,090
- 50th Percentile — Median$40,240
- 75th Percentile — Senior$46,920
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$55,140
The top 10% of Laborers and Freight Stock Material Movers earn $55,140 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $31,270, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
What Laborers and Freight Stock Material Movers Do
Role, training and entry requirements
Hand laborers and material movers load and unload trucks, move freight and stock by hand or with hand trucks, pick and pack orders, and keep warehouses and loading docks organized. Many work in warehousing, distribution centers, retail logistics, and transportation.
How to become one
Most jobs require no formal education, and training is short and on the job. Physical stamina matters, and workers who earn a forklift or other equipment certification can move into higher-paid operator roles.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $50,550 | +19.6% |
| District of Columbia | $49,250 | +16.5% |
| Washington | $47,680 | +12.8% |
| Hawaii | $47,640 | +12.7% |
| Minnesota | $46,920 | +11.0% |
| New York | $46,200 | +9.3% |
| North Dakota | $45,910 | +8.6% |
| Colorado | $45,860 | +8.5% |
| Massachusetts | $45,760 | +8.3% |
| Oregon | $45,740 | +8.2% |
| California | $45,590 | +7.9% |
| Connecticut | $44,320 | +4.9% |
| Arizona | $44,190 | +4.6% |
| Wisconsin | $44,080 | +4.3% |
| Rhode Island | $43,710 | +3.4% |
| Iowa | $43,520 | +3.0% |
| Nevada | $43,190 | +2.2% |
| Pennsylvania | $43,130 | +2.1% |
| Maine | $43,040 | +1.8% |
| Maryland | $42,990 | +1.7% |
| Illinois | $42,960 | +1.7% |
| Nebraska | $42,850 | +1.4% |
| Utah | $42,720 | +1.1% |
| Montana | $42,680 | +1.0% |
| New Jersey | $42,540 | +0.7% |
| New Hampshire | $42,530 | +0.6% |
| Virginia | $42,330 | +0.2% |
| Kentucky | $41,960 | -0.7% |
| Indiana | $41,850 | -1.0% |
| Wyoming | $41,360 | -2.1% |
| Kansas | $41,310 | -2.2% |
| South Dakota | $41,290 | -2.3% |
| Michigan | $41,230 | -2.4% |
| Missouri | $41,190 | -2.5% |
| Ohio | $41,000 | -3.0% |
| Vermont | $40,930 | -3.1% |
| Idaho | $40,810 | -3.4% |
| Georgia | $40,450 | -4.3% |
| Florida | $40,260 | -4.7% |
| Tennessee | $40,020 | -5.3% |
| Delaware | $39,740 | -6.0% |
| Texas | $39,400 | -6.8% |
| North Carolina | $39,390 | -6.8% |
| South Carolina | $39,140 | -7.4% |
| New Mexico | $38,990 | -7.7% |
| West Virginia | $38,490 | -8.9% |
| Oklahoma | $37,790 | -10.6% |
| Alabama | $37,480 | -11.3% |
| Mississippi | $37,170 | -12.0% |
| Arkansas | $36,730 | -13.1% |
| Louisiana | $35,720 | -15.5% |
What Factors Affect Laborers and Freight Stock Material Movers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Laborers and Freight Stock Material Movers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Alaska pays an average of $50,550, while Louisiana pays $35,720 — a gap of $14,830 per year.
Large distribution and e-commerce fulfillment centers have pushed starting wages up in many regions. Overtime during peak seasons, night-shift differentials, and union contracts in freight and grocery distribution are the main ways to earn above the median.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
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- Commercial Pilots $146,080/yr United States +245.7% vs this role
- Air Traffic Controllers $146,490/yr United States +246.6% vs this role
- Light Truck Drivers $48,770/yr United States +15.4% vs this role
- Driver Sales Workers $40,730/yr United States 3.6% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +140.0% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +224.9% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Laborers and Freight Stock Material Movers?
The average salary for Laborers and Freight Stock Material Movers in the United States is $42,260 per year, with a median of $40,240.
What is the starting salary for Laborers and Freight Stock Material Movers?
Entry-level Laborers and Freight Stock Material Movers typically earn between $31,270 and $36,090 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Laborers and Freight Stock Material Movers the most?
Alaska pays Laborers and Freight Stock Material Movers the most at $50,550 per year on average, followed by District of Columbia ($49,250) and Washington ($47,680).
How much do Laborers and Freight Stock Material Movers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $42,260, Laborers and Freight Stock Material Movers earn approximately $20.32 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Laborers and Freight Stock Material Movers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 2,950,280 Laborers and Freight Stock Material Movers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $42,260 and a median of $40,240 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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