Transportation and Logistics · Career brief

Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$40,240

Lower national median pay

2025 national median. Bottom quarter for pay among careers on ChooseField.

2Demand

1.8%

Slow projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Below the middle of ChooseField careers for growth.

3Openings

340,500

Exceptional hiring volume

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Top 10% for openings among careers on ChooseField.

4Route in

No formal credential

A four-year degree is not the typical entry route

No formal educational credential. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

Hands-on

Practical work with tools, systems, or physical environments

Maintain equipment storage areas to ensure that inventory is protected.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

The work can involve real occupational hazards. Training, protective equipment, and routine safety discipline matter every day.

ChooseField take

The standout national signal is opening volume; it ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if hands-on work appeals to you and you are comfortable with entry without a formal credential. Main tradeoff: The work can involve real occupational hazards. Training, protective equipment, and routine safety discipline matter every day.

Before choosing, compare:Parking Attendants Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand with another field Explore rankings in Transportation and Logistics Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$40,240

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

1.8%employment growth340,500openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

No formal educational credential; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

2,940,300

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand (53-7062).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Maintain equipment storage areas to ensure that inventory is protected.
Read work orders or receive oral instructions to determine work assignments or material or equipment needs.
Move freight, stock, or other materials to and from storage or production areas, loading docks, delivery vehicles, ships, or containers, by hand or using trucks, tractors, or other equipment.
Install protective devices, such as bracing, padding, or strapping, to prevent shifting or damage to items being transported.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

The work can involve real occupational hazards. Training, protective equipment, and routine safety discipline matter every day.
Hands-on manipulation of tools, controls, or objects occupies a meaningful part of the workday.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.2
Getting Information4.1
Handling and Moving Objects3.9
Performing General Physical Activities3.9
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.8

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Realistic6.0
Conventional4.9
Enterprising2.0
Social1.5
Investigative1.1
Artistic1.0

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Public Safety and Security Transportation Production and Processing Mathematics

Software and tools named in job postings

Warehouse management system WMS

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Plan a realistic route or delivery problem with time, cost, safety, and disruption constraints, then revise it when one assumption changes.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Active Listening, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions. Examples of tools used in the occupation include Warehouse management system WMS; check which ones employers near you actually require.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options