An official website of the United States government
Manually move freight, stock, or other materials or perform other general labor. Includes all manual laborers not elsewhere classified. Excludes "Material Moving Workers" (53-7011 through 53-7199) who use power equipment. Excludes "Construction Laborers" (47-2061) and "Helpers, Construction Trades (47-3011 through 47-3019).
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,711,320 | 0.7 % | $14.28 | $29,690 | 0.2 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $9.55 | $10.79 | $13.00 | $16.70 | $21.17 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $19,870 | $22,450 | $27,040 | $34,730 | $44,030 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Services | 558,620 | 15.55 | $12.57 | $26,140 |
| Warehousing and Storage | 271,990 | 27.03 | $15.12 | $31,450 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) | 134,260 | 10.13 | $14.81 | $30,810 |
| Truck Transportation | 107,370 | 7.42 | $15.48 | $32,210 |
| General Merchandise Stores | 102,350 | 3.18 | $12.39 | $25,770 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warehousing and Storage | 271,990 | 27.03 | $15.12 | $31,450 |
| Support Activities for Water Transportation | 22,280 | 24.52 | $20.79 | $43,230 |
| Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers | 11,590 | 15.87 | $14.96 | $31,110 |
| Employment Services | 558,620 | 15.55 | $12.57 | $26,140 |
| Other Support Activities for Transportation | 4,870 | 15.24 | $14.35 | $29,850 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Gas Distribution | 300 | 0.27 | $28.93 | $60,170 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 3,140 | 0.66 | $23.33 | $48,520 |
| Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 3,330 | 1.53 | $22.84 | $47,510 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 1,900 | 0.49 | $22.11 | $45,980 |
| Rail Transportation | 2,110 | 0.89 | $21.75 | $45,240 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 343,460 | 20.57 | 1.08 | $14.86 | $30,910 |
| Texas | 190,210 | 16.00 | 0.84 | $13.53 | $28,140 |
| Illinois | 152,370 | 25.70 | 1.35 | $13.97 | $29,050 |
| Pennsylvania | 141,760 | 24.52 | 1.29 | $14.88 | $30,950 |
| Florida | 132,680 | 15.76 | 0.83 | $13.50 | $28,090 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | 89,010 | 30.53 | 1.61 | $13.75 | $28,610 |
| New Jersey | 120,110 | 29.97 | 1.58 | $14.33 | $29,810 |
| Kentucky | 54,340 | 28.96 | 1.52 | $13.63 | $28,360 |
| Georgia | 118,700 | 27.58 | 1.45 | $13.07 | $27,190 |
| Indiana | 81,510 | 27.00 | 1.42 | $14.43 | $30,020 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 1,990 | 2.81 | 0.15 | $24.07 | $50,070 |
| Hawaii | 7,350 | 11.60 | 0.61 | $18.23 | $37,930 |
| Alaska | 4,480 | 14.07 | 0.74 | $18.05 | $37,540 |
| Wyoming | 2,720 | 10.13 | 0.53 | $16.51 | $34,340 |
| Washington | 68,410 | 21.47 | 1.13 | $16.26 | $33,820 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 116,030 | 17.33 | 0.91 | $15.09 | $31,390 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division | 94,920 | 25.92 | 1.36 | $13.83 | $28,770 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 94,850 | 21.41 | 1.13 | $14.56 | $30,280 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 69,840 | 26.66 | 1.40 | $13.19 | $27,430 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 58,840 | 41.00 | 2.16 | $14.55 | $30,260 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | 48,590 | 19.50 | 1.03 | $13.91 | $28,940 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 46,320 | 15.81 | 0.83 | $13.86 | $28,830 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 39,640 | 64.15 | 3.37 | $13.75 | $28,610 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN | 39,030 | 37.91 | 1.99 | $14.35 | $29,850 |
| Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division | 37,990 | 23.06 | 1.21 | $16.54 | $34,400 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA | 4,140 | 72.80 | 3.83 | $17.01 | $35,380 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 39,640 | 64.15 | 3.37 | $13.75 | $28,610 |
| Elgin, IL Metropolitan Division | 13,370 | 53.09 | 2.79 | $12.61 | $26,240 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA | 12,300 | 47.72 | 2.51 | $14.88 | $30,950 |
| Gainesville, GA | 4,010 | 47.35 | 2.49 | $12.25 | $25,480 |
| Dalton, GA | 2,980 | 45.21 | 2.38 | $11.52 | $23,970 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 16,150 | 45.00 | 2.37 | $14.29 | $29,730 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 10,380 | 42.77 | 2.25 | $18.63 | $38,750 |
| Savannah, GA | 7,270 | 42.59 | 2.24 | $15.17 | $31,550 |
| Spartanburg, SC | 6,270 | 42.02 | 2.21 | $13.37 | $27,800 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, MA NECTA Division | 760 | 17.65 | 0.93 | $24.17 | $50,270 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 5,610 | 12.18 | 0.64 | $18.83 | $39,160 |
| Sheboygan, WI | 1,470 | 25.44 | 1.34 | $18.65 | $38,800 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 10,380 | 42.77 | 2.25 | $18.63 | $38,750 |
| San Rafael, CA Metropolitan Division | 1,120 | 9.74 | 0.51 | $17.80 | $37,010 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | 1,380 | 15.04 | 0.79 | $17.75 | $36,910 |
| Anchorage, AK | 2,600 | 15.00 | 0.79 | $17.73 | $36,870 |
| Trenton, NJ | 5,140 | 22.42 | 1.18 | $17.34 | $36,070 |
| Staunton-Waynesboro, VA | 1,570 | 32.78 | 1.72 | $17.19 | $35,750 |
| Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI | 800 | 10.78 | 0.57 | $17.11 | $35,580 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 6,650 | 25.92 | 1.36 | $12.36 | $25,720 |
| Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | 6,400 | 27.68 | 1.46 | $11.97 | $24,890 |
| West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | 6,230 | 24.63 | 1.29 | $16.01 | $33,290 |
| Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | 5,810 | 30.98 | 1.63 | $17.94 | $37,320 |
| North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | 5,660 | 34.82 | 1.83 | $12.03 | $25,010 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | 3,490 | 35.81 | 1.88 | $11.09 | $23,060 |
| Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | 4,460 | 34.84 | 1.83 | $11.18 | $23,250 |
| North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | 5,660 | 34.82 | 1.83 | $12.03 | $25,010 |
| Pee Dee South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 1,540 | 34.61 | 1.82 | $10.98 | $22,830 |
| Upper Savannah South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 2,530 | 32.43 | 1.71 | $13.20 | $27,460 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Far West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | 860 | 14.10 | 0.74 | $20.39 | $42,420 |
| Southwest Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | 500 | 8.36 | 0.44 | $20.13 | $41,860 |
| West Central North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | 760 | 13.39 | 0.70 | $19.43 | $40,410 |
| Balance of Alaska nonmetropolitan area | 1,180 | 16.51 | 0.87 | $19.34 | $40,220 |
| Southeast Alaska nonmetropolitan area | 360 | 10.30 | 0.54 | $18.47 | $38,410 |
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OES estimates and related information:
May 2017 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2017 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2017 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2017 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Last Modified Date: March 30, 2018