Material Handler salary

The median pay for a material handler nationally is $19.35 an hour — about $40,240 a year full time. That figure comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for U.S. (2025). Half of the roles pay more than this and half pay less, so treat it as the middle of the market rather than a target.

Most material handlers nationally earn between $15.03 an hour and $26.51 an hour — that is the 10th to the 90th percentile. The spread usually reflects experience, shift, certifications and employer size more than anything else.

Pay at the bottom of the range — roughly what someone starting out can expect — is around $15.03 an hour. A quarter of material handlers earn below $17.35 an hour, so the first year or two typically sits in that band. This is a role employers routinely fill with people who have no prior experience.

The top 10% of material handlers nationally earn about $26.51 an hour or more, roughly 1.4× the median. Getting there usually means experience plus something specific — certifications, supervisory duties, specialised skills or premium shifts.

Material handlers move goods between receiving, storage, production and shipping. The role sits between warehouse and production work and often involves equipment. Day to day, that means move materials to production lines or staging areas, load and unload delivery vehicles, maintain accurate movement records and operate pallet jacks and forklifts.

The usual route is: (1) enter through general warehouse or labouring work, (2) add forklift and pallet jack certification, (3) learn the site inventory system, (4) progress to inventory control or shift lead. Employers typically look for no formal education required, regular lifting and manual handling and forklift certification helpful.

Usually not. Most employers hire material handlers without a specific licence, though forklift certification helpful will widen your options and often your pay.

There are currently 5 open material handlers listed on LocalWork. Demand follows manufacturing and distribution activity, so openings concentrate in industrial areas and around large employers.