The median annual wage for hand laborers and material movers was $24,090 in May 2015.
The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $17,980, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $40,720.
Median annual wages for hand laborers and material movers in May 2015 were as follows:
Refuse and recyclable material collectors
$33,800
Machine feeders and offbearers
29,440
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
25,010
Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
21,310
Packers and packagers, hand
21,010
Some workers, such as grocery baggers or car wash attendants, may receive tips.
Most people in these occupations work full time. Almost 1 in 4 of hand laborers and material movers worked part time in 2014.
Shifts longer than 8 hours are common, as is overtime. Because materials are shipped around the clock, some workers, especially those in warehousing, work overnight shifts.
Hand Laborers and Material Movers
Median annual wages, May 2015
Total, all occupations
$36,200
Material moving workers
$25,420
Hand laborers and material movers
$24,090
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics