Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
No formal educational credential
None
Short-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand play a major role in moving goods, materials, and inventory, reflected in a large national workforce of 2,989,000 people. The career offers significant entry points into the labor market, with 384,000 projected annual openings, indicating frequent hiring and turnover opportunities. Nationally, the median annual salary is $38,940, with higher typical pay available in several states and metro areas. Projected employment growth of 1.5% suggests modest expansion rather than rapid change. The role draws on physical strength and stamina, fine motor skills, and attention to detail, while also valuing mechanical abilities, customer service, and basic academic skills such as mathematics, science, and reading and writing. This mix makes the occupation accessible to individuals with strong physical capabilities and the willingness to build applied workplace skills. For those exploring related paths, similar occupations include material moving workers (all other), insulation workers, drywall and ceiling tile installers, molders and shapers, and refractory materials repairers.
The national median annual salary for laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand is $38,940. Earnings can vary by location, with several states and metro areas offering higher median pay. Among the top states by opportunity score, Washington has a median salary of $46,190, Colorado $45,370, Massachusetts $44,920, New York $44,630, and California $44,710. At the metro level, median salaries are even higher in some areas, such as $48,400 in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, and $47,060 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ shows a median of $43,290, while Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH is $45,600 and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is $42,590. These figures indicate that workers willing to consider specific regions—especially certain California metros—may find stronger earning potential compared with the national median.
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand represent a large occupation, with national employment of 2,989,000. Projected employment growth of 1.5% indicates that total jobs are expected to increase slightly over the projection period. In addition to this growth, the field is expected to have 384,000 annual openings. These openings can come from both new positions and the need to replace workers who leave the occupation. The combination of a sizable existing workforce and high projected annual openings suggests that opportunities to enter or re-enter this field should be frequent. The 1.5% growth projection is consistent across the highlighted states and metro areas, indicating similar expectations for expansion in those locations. Overall, job seekers can view this occupation as offering steady, ongoing demand rather than rapid contraction or dramatic growth.
Location can significantly shape opportunities for laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand. Among states, California stands out with 355,500 employed and a median salary of $44,710, paired with an opportunity score of 67.38. New York also has substantial employment at 100,950 and a median salary of $44,630, with an opportunity score of 65.78. Massachusetts, Colorado, and Washington combine comparatively higher median salaries—ranging from $44,920 in Massachusetts to $46,190 in Washington—with opportunity scores between 56.29 and 65.87. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ have the highest opportunity scores, 77.42 and 77.27 respectively, indicating particularly strong overall conditions among the metros listed. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA offers the highest median salary at $48,400, while Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV also provide relatively strong pay and sizable employment. Workers comparing locations can weigh higher salaries, larger employment bases, and opportunity scores together.
For laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand, the typical education requirement is no formal educational credential. This makes the occupation accessible to individuals who may not have completed traditional academic programs but can demonstrate the physical and practical capabilities needed. Success in this field relies heavily on physical strength and stamina, along with fine motor skills and being detail oriented. Mechanical abilities can be valuable, as can customer service skills in roles that involve interaction with others. Foundational academic skills—mathematics, science, and reading and writing—also contribute to job performance, particularly where measurements, basic calculations, or written instructions are involved. Leadership and project management skills can support workers who advance into roles coordinating tasks or guiding others. Overall, the field emphasizes practical, applied skills over formal classroom credentials, offering pathways for individuals to build experience directly on the job.
Use CareerGPS Pro to compare markets, understand the tradeoffs, and focus on the places with the strongest potential.
