Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Occupation-level safety SOC 53-7062

Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand

Occupation-specific BLS fatality and injury rates set the reading order for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand, then wages beside peers such as Air Traffic Controllers, Flight Attendants, Wellhead Pumpers, Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand: Air Traffic Controllers ($148K) , Flight Attendants ($64K) , Wellhead Pumpers ($70K) , Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators ($77K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 53-7062 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Install protective devices, such as bracing, padding, or strapping, to prevent shifting or damage to items being transported
  2. 2. Maintain equipment storage areas to ensure that inventory is protected
  3. 3. Sort cargo before loading and unloading
  4. 4. Attach identifying tags to containers or mark them with identifying information
  5. 5. Read work orders or receive oral instructions to determine work assignments or material or equipment needs
  6. 6. Move freight, stock, or other materials to and from storage or production areas, loading docks, delivery vehicles, ships, or containers…
  7. 7. Record numbers of units handled or moved, using daily production sheets or work tickets
  8. 8. Attach slings, hooks, or other devices to lift cargo and guide loads
  9. 9. Carry needed tools or supplies from storage or trucks and return them after use
  10. 10. Pack containers and re-pack damaged containers
  11. 11. Assemble product containers or crates, using hand tools and precut lumber
  12. 12. Adjust controls to guide, position, or move equipment, such as cranes, booms, or cameras

Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand: O*NET ranks Coordination first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 53-7062 - lead skill Coordination at 3.0 ; lead knowledge Administration and Management. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Coordination 3.0
  2. 2. Active Listening 2.9
  3. 3. Reading Comprehension 2.8
  4. 4. Speaking 2.8
  5. 5. Monitoring 2.8
  6. 6. Operations Monitoring 2.6
  7. 7. Operation and Control 2.6
  8. 8. Time Management 2.6

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Administration and Management 3.4
  2. 2. Customer and Personal Service 3.4
  3. 3. Public Safety and Security 3.2
  4. 4. Transportation 3.1
  5. 5. Production and Processing 3.1
  6. 6. Mathematics 3.0
Occupation safety grade
C
Moderate Risk
Transparent derived index from BLS CFOI/SOII, not an official BLS rating · formula
National median still $40,240/yr
$40K
National median
↑ +2%
Growth 2024-2034
384,300
Annual openings
2,950,280
Estimated US jobs
Air Traffic Controllers
Highest-pay peer · $148K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education No formal educational credential

Top Paying States for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand

1. District of Columbia $45,740
2. Colorado $45,370
3. Minnesota $46,280
4. North Dakota $45,690
5. Oregon $44,750
6. New York $44,630
7. California $44,710
8. Wisconsin $44,610
9. Washington $46,190
10. Massachusetts $44,920

Other Transportation and Material Moving Occupations titles

  1. 1. Wellhead Pumpers $69,960
  2. 2. Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators $77,320
  3. 3. Ship Engineers $109,530
  4. 4. Flight Attendants $63,580
  5. 5. Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters $78,000
  6. 6. Air Traffic Controllers $148,080

Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand carries an occupation-specific WageDex safety grade of C from BLS CFOI/SOII rates. The national OEWS median is $40,240 inside Transportation and Material Moving Occupations (SOC 53-7062).

Employment Projections expect +2% change between 2024 and 2034 (about as fast as average vs baseline 3.1%). About 384,300 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns No formal educational credential as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements.

Highest published state median in this ranking: District of Columbia at $45,740. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Air Traffic Controllers at $148,080. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand pay-rank #40 in Transportation and Material Moving Occupations

On the Transportation and Material Moving Occupations median table (50 detailed occupations with OEWS medians), Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand lands at #40, in the lower third. That rank is a table position, not a statement about individual workers.

Other lower-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 53-7062 · national median $40,240 · lower third of Transportation and Material Moving Occupations (#40/50). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 53-7062

District of Columbia · top state for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand

$46K published median

Colorado · #2 state pay

$45K · behind District of Columbia

Air Traffic Controllers

Highest-pay peer vs Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand · $148K

Flight Attendants

Lower-pay peer beside Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand · $64K

Compare Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand with another occupation →

Safety and risk next reads

Safest Occupations

Roles with the strongest published safety grades

Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand full wage map

State and metro pay after the safety lead

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand land on the Transportation and Material Moving Occupations median table? ▼
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand is pay-rank #40 of 50 in this major group, lower third of the median table. Closest lower-third titles: Aircraft Service Attendants ($40K), Machine Feeders and Offbearers ($41K), Driver/Sales Workers ($39K), Material Moving Workers, All Other ($42K). That position is a table rank, not a worker percentile.
What do laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand. Leading ones include: Install protective devices, such as bracing, padding, or strapping, to prevent shifting or damage to items being transported; Maintain equipment storage areas to ensure that inventory is protected; Sort cargo before loading and unloading; Attach identifying tags to containers or mark them with identifying information. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand? ▼
For SOC 53-7062, O*NET importance scores lead with Coordination (3.0), Active Listening (2.9), Reading Comprehension (2.8), Speaking (2.8). Knowledge areas emphasize Administration and Management, Customer and Personal Service, Public Safety and Security. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $40,240 as the national median for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand. The published 10th-90th range is $31,270 to $55,140. Beside Air Traffic Controllers ($148,080), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand is +2%. Projected annual openings: about 384,300. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: about as fast as average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand? ▼
BLS assigns No formal educational credential as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand? ▼
District of Columbia ($45,740), Colorado ($45,370), Minnesota ($46,280) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 53-7062. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics