CareerFacts

All careers › Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand

Warehouse worker: pay, job outlook and how to get started

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$40,240median pay per year, or $19.35 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $31,270lowest 10% earn less
  2. $36,09025th percentile
  3. $40,240median
  4. $46,92075th percentile
  5. $55,140top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

A warehouse worker (BLS title: Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand) had a median pay of $40,240 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+1.8%[2]
Openings per year
340,500[5]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[6]

How much do warehouse workers make?

The median pay was $40,240 a year, or $19.35 an hour[1]. Half earned more and half earned less. The mean (average) was $42,260 a year, or $20.32 an hour[7]. The median for all occupations was $50,980 a year[4].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $31,270, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $36,090[3]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $46,920, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $55,140[3]. Hourly, those boundaries were $15.03, $17.35, $22.56 and $26.51[8]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9].

The data cover about 2,950,280 wage and salary workers[10]. They leave out the self-employed and do not include benefits or nonproduction bonuses[11]. In the projections data, 1.2% of these workers were self-employed in 2025[12].

Pay by state and city

Among the 50 states and DC with published data, Minnesota had the highest median at $46,280, followed by Washington at $46,190 and the District of Columbia at $45,740[13]. Louisiana had the lowest, at $35,340[13].

The most jobs were in California (355,500), Texas (216,970), Illinois (195,390), Florida (164,400) and Georgia (137,580)[14].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Topeka, KS had the highest median at $49,140, then Hanford-Corcoran, CA at $48,420 and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $48,400[15]. The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area had the most jobs, at 157,920[16].

Show median pay in 50 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Minnesota[13]$46,28054,480
Washington$46,19049,450
District of Columbia$45,7401,200
North Dakota$45,6909,990
Colorado$45,37031,140
Massachusetts$44,92034,700
Oregon$44,75027,720
California$44,710355,500
New York$44,630100,950
Wisconsin$44,61070,520
Alaska$44,5104,250
Arizona$44,29071,090
Hawaii$44,1209,490
Montana$43,8403,870
Connecticut$43,64023,970
Iowa$43,49030,890
Nebraska$42,91013,870
Kentucky$42,77057,930
Maine$42,6406,120
Pennsylvania$42,480131,050
Utah$42,37029,670
New Hampshire$42,1108,340
Rhode Island$41,6906,760
Maryland$41,60047,710
Indiana$41,340103,200
Illinois$40,550195,390
Kansas$40,25023,270
Idaho$39,90015,610
New Jersey$39,54097,230
Ohio$39,460108,830
Vermont$39,3903,060
Virginia$39,38058,000
Nevada$39,35040,850
Missouri$39,08043,050
South Dakota$38,9803,820
Michigan$38,86079,410
Georgia$38,480137,580
Wyoming$38,3302,700
North Carolina$38,230116,720
Florida$38,160164,400
Tennessee$38,160105,870
Texas$37,540216,970
South Carolina$37,53056,700
Delaware$37,3205,220
New Mexico$37,23010,200
Oklahoma$36,99038,210
West Virginia$36,99011,300
Alabama$36,67036,140
Mississippi$36,40030,750
Arkansas$35,92021,430
Louisiana$35,34043,730

How to get started as a warehouse worker

The training details here come from a BLS profile covering hand laborers and material movers together with related jobs, so they describe a wider group[17]. The path is short:

Some jobs in the wider group need a state license. For example, refuse collectors who drive larger trucks must hold a commercial driver's license[21].

BLS names these useful qualities: attention to detail, hand-eye coordination, listening to supervisors, physical stamina and, for some jobs, strength to lift heavy objects[22][23][24][25][26].

What warehouse workers do

These workers move freight, stock, luggage and other goods by hand, or do other general labor[27]. Common tasks include:

The list comes from O*NET[28]. Workers also report titles such as loader, material handler and receiving associate[29].

Where they work

For the wider group, the largest employer was retail trade, at 35% in 2025[30]. Workers are found in stockrooms, warehouses, manufacturing plants and other settings[31]. The work is usually repetitive and physically demanding, with lifting, carrying, and sometimes bending or kneeling in awkward positions[31].

BLS reports that this group has some of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations, including sprains, strains and overexertion[32]. Most work full time, and part-time work is common. Schedules vary and may include nights and weekends[33].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 2,940,300 to 2,991,900 jobs[2]. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[34].

About 340,500 openings a year are projected on average[5]. Openings include jobs that open when people retire or change occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 4.6% of workers leave the labor force and 6.8% move to a different occupation[35].

Is it a good fit?

The facts describe a job with no formal education requirement and short on-the-job training[6]. Median pay is below the all-occupation median[1][4]. The work is physically demanding, and BLS notes high injury and illness rates for the wider group[31][32]. Growth is slower than for all occupations, but openings each year are large[2][34][5].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[36].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a warehouse worker make an hour?
The median was $19.35 an hour in May 2025, and the mean was $20.32[1][7].
Do you need a degree to be a warehouse worker?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as typical, and short-term on-the-job training[6].
What is the highest paying state for warehouse workers?
Minnesota had the highest median at $46,280, followed by Washington at $46,190[13].
Is warehouse work in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035, versus 3.5% for all occupations, with about 340,500 openings a year[2][34][5].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand in the US was $40,240 per year and $19.35 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand is projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 2,940,300 to 2,991,900 jobs (a change of +51,600). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand: 10th percentile $31,270, 25th percentile $36,090, 75th percentile $46,920, 90th percentile $55,140. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 340,500 openings for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand was $42,260 per year and $20.32 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand: 10th percentile $15.03, 25th percentile $17.35, 75th percentile $22.56, 90th percentile $26.51. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 2,950,280 people were employed as Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS Employment Projections: 1.2% of Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  13. Median annual wage for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand jobs: California 355,500; Texas 216,970; Illinois 195,390; Florida 164,400; Georgia 137,580. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand (areas with at least 100 jobs): Topeka, KS $49,140; Hanford-Corcoran, CA $48,420; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $48,400; Sheboygan, WI $48,150; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $47,740; Chambersburg, PA $47,540; Kahului-Wailuku, HI $47,490; Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $47,440. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand jobs: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 157,920 (median $40,550); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 120,720 (median $42,390); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 118,290 (median $43,290); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 81,940 (median $38,510); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 78,460 (median $39,020); Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 69,820 (median $46,060). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Hand Laborers and Material Movers" covers Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. O*NET description of Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand. O*NET OnLine
  28. O*NET task list for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand. O*NET OnLine
  29. O*NET 53-7062.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Laborer, Loader, Material Handler, Merchandise Pick Up Associate, Merchandise Receiving Associate, Receiver, Receiving Associate, Shipping and Receiving Materials Handler. O*NET OnLine
  30. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of hand laborers and material movers in 2025: Retail trade 35%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Injuries and Illnesses. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  33. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  34. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  35. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand: 4.6% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  36. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.