Jetted FoxCareers · Warehouse & moving
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
Load, unload and move freight, stock and materials by hand at warehouses, docks and stores. No college degree needed.
Start now · nothing needed
Starting pay ranges from about $14.11/hr in Louisiana to $19.38/hr in Washington.
Pay in every state
| State | Start | 2 years |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $12.91–14.76/hr | $17.63/hr |
| Alaska | $16.73–18.75/hr | $21.40/hr |
| Arizona | $16.64–17.92/hr | $21.29/hr |
| Arkansas | $13.51–14.56/hr | $17.27/hr |
| California | $17.34–18.21/hr | $21.50/hr |
| Colorado | $17.66–19.04/hr | $21.81/hr |
| Connecticut | $17.04–18.18/hr | $20.98/hr |
| Delaware | $15–16.79/hr | $17.94/hr |
| Florida | $14.40–16.69/hr | $18.35/hr |
| Georgia | $14.47–16.81/hr | $18.50/hr |
| Hawaii | $16.39–18.19/hr | $21.21/hr |
| Idaho | $14.21–16.90/hr | $19.18/hr |
| Illinois | $15.28–17.26/hr | $19.50/hr |
| Indiana | $14.92–17.50/hr | $19.87/hr |
| Iowa | $15.77–17.99/hr | $20.91/hr |
| Kansas | $14.82–17.10/hr | $19.35/hr |
| Kentucky | $14.85–17.07/hr | $20.56/hr |
| Louisiana | $11.61–14.11/hr | $16.99/hr |
| Maine | $15.65–17.64/hr | $20.50/hr |
| Maryland | $16.48–17.77/hr | $20/hr |
| Massachusetts | $17.53–18.71/hr | $21.60/hr |
| Michigan | $14.53–17.18/hr | $18.68/hr |
| Minnesota | $17.19–18.80/hr | $22.25/hr |
| Mississippi | $13.34–14.82/hr | $17.50/hr |
| Missouri | $14.61–16.87/hr | $18.79/hr |
| Montana | $15.58–17.60/hr | $21.08/hr |
| Nebraska | $16.02–18/hr | $20.63/hr |
| Nevada | $16.05–17.79/hr | $18.92/hr |
| New Hampshire | $16.33–17.68/hr | $20.25/hr |
| New Jersey | $16.04–17.26/hr | $19.01/hr |
| New Mexico | $13.71–15.29/hr | $17.90/hr |
| New York | $17–18.49/hr | $21.46/hr |
| North Carolina | $14.43–16.84/hr | $18.38/hr |
| North Dakota | $16.80–18.50/hr | $21.97/hr |
| Ohio | $14.74–17.20/hr | $18.97/hr |
| Oklahoma | $13.87–15.50/hr | $17.78/hr |
| Oregon | $16.74–18.19/hr | $21.52/hr |
| Pennsylvania | $15.50–17.61/hr | $20.43/hr |
| Rhode Island | $15.24–17.33/hr | $20.05/hr |
| South Carolina | $14.34–16.71/hr | $18.04/hr |
| South Dakota | $15.07–16.92/hr | $18.74/hr |
| Tennessee | $14.53–17.09/hr | $18.35/hr |
| Texas | $14.06–16/hr | $18.05/hr |
| Utah | $16.04–17.73/hr | $20.37/hr |
| Vermont | $14.59–17.06/hr | $18.94/hr |
| Virginia | $14.93–17.25/hr | $18.94/hr |
| Washington | $17.96–19.38/hr | $22.21/hr |
| Washington, DC | $18.05–19.33/hr | $21.99/hr |
| West Virginia | $13.11–14.98/hr | $17.79/hr |
| Wisconsin | $15.99–18.04/hr | $21.45/hr |
| Wyoming | $14.97–17.15/hr | $18.43/hr |
Estimates, May 2025. Start = what the lowest-paid 10–25% earn; 2 years = the median. US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it takes
Before you're hired
Once you're hired
A normal day
You work at a warehouse, distribution center, dock or moving company, unloading trucks, stacking boxes and moving pallets. You use hand trucks and pallet jacks, follow pick lists and hit hourly rates set by supervisors. Shifts run day, night or weekend, and the work is nonstop lifting and walking.
The good parts
Easy to get hired, often within days. Overtime and shift pay boost earnings. Forklift certification and promotion to lead come fast.
The hard parts
Heavy lifting wears on your back, knees and shoulders over the years. Hourly rate targets, plus heat or cold in trailers and on docks. Forklifts and falling loads make injuries common.
Where it leads
Warehouse or freight supervisor (after 1–5 years). forklift operator, team lead, shipping clerk or warehouse supervisor within 5-10 years.
Quick answers
Do laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand need a college degree?
No. You can start now: nothing needed.
How long is the training for laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand?
1–2 weeks.
How much do laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand make?
About $15.03–17.35 an hour to start and $19.35 an hour at the median across the US (May 2025).
Is it a fit for you?
Answer a few questions and see your paths. Free, about 7 minutes.
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Last updated October 13, 2026. Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Jobs: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Training, costs and requirements: Jetted Fox research (estimates). This site 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. Jetted Fox has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Facts, not advice.