Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

53-0000 Transportation and Material Moving Occupations (Major Group)

Transportation and Material Moving Occupations comprises the following occupations: Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors; First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors; Commercial Pilots; Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers; Airfield Operations Specialists; Air Traffic Controllers; Flight Attendants; Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians; Driver/Sales Workers; Light Truck Drivers; Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers; Taxi Drivers; Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity; Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs; Bus Drivers, School; Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other; Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers; Locomotive Engineers; Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers; Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters; Subway and Streetcar Operators; Rail Transportation Workers, All Other; Sailors and Marine Oilers; Motorboat Operators; Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels; Ship Engineers; Bridge and Lock Tenders; Parking Attendants; Aircraft Service Attendants; Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants; Traffic Technicians; Transportation Inspectors; Passenger Attendants; Transportation Workers, All Other; Conveyor Operators and Tenders; Crane and Tower Operators; Dredge Operators; Hoist and Winch Operators; Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators; Machine Feeders and Offbearers; Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment; Packers and Packagers, Hand; Stockers and Order Fillers; Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand; Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators; Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers; Wellhead Pumpers; Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors; Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders; Material Moving Workers, All Other


National estimates for Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
Industry profile for Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
Geographic profile for Transportation and Material Moving Occupations

National estimates for Transportation and Material Moving Occupations:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Transportation and Material Moving Occupations:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
13,560,460 0.1 % $ 21.12 $ 43,930 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Transportation and Material Moving Occupations:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 13.03 $ 15.10 $ 18.24 $ 23.33 $ 30.82
Annual Wage (2) $ 27,110 $ 31,410 $ 37,940 $ 48,520 $ 64,100


Industry profile for Transportation and Material Moving Occupations:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Transportation and Material Moving Occupations are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Transportation and Material Moving Occupations, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Transportation and Material Moving Occupations:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Warehousing and Storage 1,427,710 75.08 $ 20.97 $ 43,620
Truck Transportation 1,166,380 74.89 $ 25.64 $ 53,330
General Merchandise Retailers 1,022,320 31.76 $ 16.36 $ 34,020
Employment Services 938,130 23.89 $ 16.17 $ 33,630
Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) 866,370 29.02 $ 15.68 $ 32,600

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Transportation and Material Moving Occupations:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Couriers and Express Delivery Services 811,580 84.73 $ 24.90 $ 51,800
Local Messengers and Local Delivery 139,220 77.06 $ 19.49 $ 40,550
School and Employee Bus Transportation 146,480 76.78 $ 21.61 $ 44,940
Inland Water Transportation 20,090 76.40 $ 44.58 $ 92,720
Warehousing and Storage 1,427,710 75.08 $ 20.97 $ 43,620

Top paying industries for Transportation and Material Moving Occupations:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nonscheduled Air Transportation 26,800 50.61 $ 55.27 $ 114,960
Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities 710 0.07 $ 54.25 $ 112,840
Scheduled Air Transportation 272,310 62.01 $ 52.19 $ 108,560
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 53,110 2.55 $ 45.81 $ 95,280
Inland Water Transportation 20,090 76.40 $ 44.58 $ 92,720


Geographic profile for Transportation and Material Moving Occupations:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Transportation and Material Moving Occupations are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Transportation and Material Moving Occupations, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of transportation and material moving occupations by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Transportation and Material Moving Occupations:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 1,537,150 87.16 0.95 $ 22.54 $ 46,880
Texas 1,218,930 93.82 1.02 $ 20.54 $ 42,730
Florida 807,830 87.70 0.96 $ 20.20 $ 42,010
Illinois 631,420 107.31 1.17 $ 21.89 $ 45,530
New York 612,430 67.23 0.73 $ 24.38 $ 50,710


Map of location quotient of transportation and material moving occupations by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Transportation and Material Moving Occupations:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kentucky 228,210 120.15 1.31 $ 22.27 $ 46,330
Tennessee 368,830 118.16 1.29 $ 19.65 $ 40,860
Indiana 363,020 117.49 1.28 $ 20.21 $ 42,040
New Jersey 480,170 116.85 1.27 $ 21.18 $ 44,050
Arkansas 141,770 115.18 1.26 $ 18.70 $ 38,890


Map of annual mean wages of transportation and material moving occupations by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Transportation and Material Moving Occupations:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 28,790 94.06 1.03 $ 27.77 $ 57,770
Hawaii 47,580 79.99 0.87 $ 26.94 $ 56,040
Washington 282,180 82.86 0.90 $ 25.33 $ 52,680
District of Columbia 16,840 24.40 0.27 $ 25.07 $ 52,140
New York 612,430 67.23 0.73 $ 24.38 $ 50,710



Map of employment of transportation and material moving occupations by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Transportation and Material Moving Occupations:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 728,650 79.33 0.87 $ 24.20 $ 50,330
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 498,940 81.79 0.89 $ 22.79 $ 47,410
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 485,970 110.04 1.20 $ 22.48 $ 46,750
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 401,200 105.45 1.15 $ 21.58 $ 44,880
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 305,710 112.08 1.22 $ 22.58 $ 46,970
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 292,720 95.83 1.05 $ 21.57 $ 44,860
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 271,450 166.28 1.81 $ 21.71 $ 45,150
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 247,760 89.44 0.98 $ 20.87 $ 43,410
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 239,370 91.23 0.99 $ 22.59 $ 47,000
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 205,450 92.54 1.01 $ 21.34 $ 44,390


Map of location quotient of transportation and material moving occupations by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Transportation and Material Moving Occupations:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA 10,750 185.42 2.02 $ 20.03 $ 41,660
Memphis, TN-MS-AR 108,490 174.61 1.90 $ 20.82 $ 43,310
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL 42,990 171.01 1.87 $ 18.97 $ 39,460
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 271,450 166.28 1.81 $ 21.71 $ 45,150
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA 39,770 161.01 1.76 $ 19.99 $ 41,580
Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ 9,560 157.62 1.72 $ 18.73 $ 38,960
Lebanon, PA 7,790 155.17 1.69 $ 18.49 $ 38,470
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ 55,120 152.58 1.66 $ 21.40 $ 44,510
Joplin, MO 11,910 150.45 1.64 $ 20.30 $ 42,220
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV 15,080 150.27 1.64 $ 20.26 $ 42,140


Map of annual mean wages of transportation and material moving occupations by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Transportation and Material Moving Occupations:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Urban Honolulu, HI 34,420 81.30 0.89 $ 29.16 $ 60,660
Houma-Thibodaux, LA 11,520 147.94 1.61 $ 27.88 $ 57,980
Anchorage, AK 16,960 101.63 1.11 $ 27.84 $ 57,910
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 157,900 77.50 0.85 $ 27.82 $ 57,870
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 163,150 68.18 0.74 $ 26.81 $ 55,760
Fairbanks, AK 2,990 86.87 0.95 $ 25.57 $ 53,190
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 123,030 79.32 0.87 $ 24.89 $ 51,770
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN 88,450 137.48 1.50 $ 24.63 $ 51,220
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 728,650 79.33 0.87 $ 24.20 $ 50,330
Midland, TX 11,770 112.23 1.22 $ 24.16 $ 50,250

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Transportation and Material Moving Occupations:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 36,490 95.21 1.04 $ 18.85 $ 39,200
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 31,240 97.04 1.06 $ 18.98 $ 39,480
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 28,990 117.94 1.29 $ 19.78 $ 41,140
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 28,810 115.17 1.26 $ 17.58 $ 36,570
North Georgia nonmetropolitan area 27,290 150.67 1.64 $ 17.68 $ 36,770

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Transportation and Material Moving Occupations:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Georgia nonmetropolitan area 27,290 150.67 1.64 $ 17.68 $ 36,770
West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area 11,420 134.48 1.47 $ 18.00 $ 37,440
Southern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 24,270 131.59 1.44 $ 20.18 $ 41,980
Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area 19,110 131.35 1.43 $ 16.15 $ 33,600
Northwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area 8,780 130.65 1.42 $ 17.22 $ 35,820

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Transportation and Material Moving Occupations:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 8,600 84.60 0.92 $ 28.11 $ 58,460
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 13,540 123.02 1.34 $ 25.32 $ 52,660
East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 6,140 100.20 1.09 $ 22.76 $ 47,330
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 7,860 81.65 0.89 $ 22.36 $ 46,510
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area 11,270 90.06 0.98 $ 22.17 $ 46,110


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

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 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 OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023