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Dock worker salary
Average dock worker salary
$36,027
Average Dock Worker Salary
The average salary for a dock worker as of October 2025 stands at $36,027 per year, translating to about $17 per hour. This figure can vary significantly based on factors such as experience, location, and specific job duties. For example, dock workers in states with high demand for shipping and logistics may earn higher wages compared to those in less active regions.
How Experience Affects Earnings
Experience plays a crucial role in determining salary. Entry-level dock workers may start with lower wages, while those with several years in the field can expect to see significant increases in their pay. Additionally, specialized skills or certifications can also enhance earning potential.
Top States for Dock Worker Salaries
Some states offer more lucrative opportunities for dock workers. For instance, states with major shipping hubs often provide higher salaries due to the increased demand for dock services. Areas like California and Texas are known for competitive pay scales in this industry.
Job Opportunities and Growth
As the logistics sector continues to grow, the demand for dock workers is expected to rise, presenting numerous job opportunities. Those looking to enter this field can find positions at shipping companies, warehouses, and distribution centers.
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Where can a Dock Worker earn more?
Dock worker salaries by experience level
Dock worker salary estimates from across the web
Average dock worker salary by state
The average dock worker salary in Alaska, Hawaii, and North Dakota are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average dock worker salary states are Alabama, New Mexico, and Idaho.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for dock workers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $38,412 | $18.47 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $41,694 | $20.05 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | $38,427 | $18.47 |
| 4 | South Dakota | $36,222 | $17.41 |
| 5 | Maine | $41,248 | $19.83 |
| 6 | Oregon | $38,179 | $18.36 |
| 7 | Montana | $41,645 | $20.02 |
| 8 | Nebraska | $36,906 | $17.74 |
| 9 | Washington | $39,150 | $18.82 |
| 10 | Alaska | $42,792 | $20.57 |
| 11 | Indiana | $36,978 | $17.78 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $39,602 | $19.04 |
| 13 | Iowa | $37,901 | $18.22 |
| 14 | Vermont | $40,144 | $19.30 |
| 15 | Kansas | $37,550 | $18.05 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $36,648 | $17.62 |
| 17 | Kentucky | $36,460 | $17.53 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $45,142 | $21.70 |
| 19 | Ohio | $36,378 | $17.49 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $35,181 | $16.91 |
| 21 | South Carolina | $35,332 | $16.99 |
| 22 | Utah | $36,146 | $17.38 |
| 23 | Missouri | $35,607 | $17.12 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $37,680 | $18.12 |
| 25 | Colorado | $37,976 | $18.26 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $35,470 | $17.05 |
| 27 | Massachusetts | $38,917 | $18.71 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $37,116 | $17.84 |
| 29 | Illinois | $36,444 | $17.52 |
| 30 | Hawaii | $41,759 | $20.08 |
| 31 | New Jersey | $35,817 | $17.22 |
| 32 | Michigan | $35,207 | $16.93 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $34,401 | $16.54 |
| 34 | New York | $37,688 | $18.12 |
| 35 | Florida | $34,992 | $16.82 |
| 36 | Georgia | $34,719 | $16.69 |
| 37 | Texas | $34,852 | $16.76 |
| 38 | Delaware | $35,945 | $17.28 |
| 39 | California | $35,411 | $17.02 |
| 40 | Virginia | $35,314 | $16.98 |
| 41 | Alabama | $33,618 | $16.16 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $33,483 | $16.10 |
| 43 | Arizona | $34,536 | $16.60 |
| 44 | Nevada | $34,746 | $16.70 |
| 45 | Idaho | $33,505 | $16.11 |
| 46 | Maryland | $35,372 | $17.01 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $33,721 | $16.21 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $33,589 | $16.15 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $33,306 | $16.01 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $33,373 | $16.04 |
| 51 | Wyoming | $33,707 | $16.21 |
Highest paying cities for dock workers
The highest-paying cities for dock workers are Coon Rapids, MN, Seattle, WA, and Milwaukee, WI.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coon Rapids, MN | $39,704 | $19.09 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $39,262 | $18.88 |
| 3 | Milwaukee, WI | $38,395 | $18.46 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $38,208 | $18.37 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $38,001 | $18.27 |
| 6 | Des Moines, IA | $37,784 | $18.17 |
| 7 | Kansas City, KS | $37,690 | $18.12 |
| 8 | Rochester, NY | $37,593 | $18.07 |
| 9 | Cumberland, RI | $37,191 | $17.88 |
| 10 | Omaha, NE | $36,963 | $17.77 |
| 11 | Indianapolis, IN | $36,887 | $17.73 |
| 12 | Bethlehem, PA | $36,851 | $17.72 |
| 13 | Des Plaines, IL | $36,525 | $17.56 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | $36,227 | $17.42 |
| 15 | Salt Lake City, UT | $36,154 | $17.38 |
| 16 | Saint Louis, MO | $35,743 | $17.18 |
| 17 | Oklahoma City, OK | $35,395 | $17.02 |
| 18 | Hagerstown, MD | $35,377 | $17.01 |
| 19 | Knoxville, TN | $35,335 | $16.99 |
| 20 | Richmond, VA | $35,329 | $16.99 |
Dock worker salary details
A dock worker's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $43,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a dock worker's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| 75th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| Average | $36,027 | $3,002 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying dock worker jobs
The highest paying types of dock workers are stock unloader, dock worker/forklift operator, and material handler/forklift operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material Handler/Warehouse | $32,384 | $2,699 | $15.57 | 154,227 |
| Material Handler | $33,215 | $2,768 | $15.97 | 174,068 |
| Warehouseman | $36,022 | $3,002 | $17.32 | 158,488 |
| Freight Handler | $35,944 | $2,995 | $17.28 | 67,422 |
| Loader/Unloader | $31,827 | $2,652 | $15.30 | 67,063 |
| Driver/Material Handler | $36,219 | $3,018 | $17.41 | 198,718 |
Top companies hiring dock workers now:
Which companies pay dock workers the most?
Dock worker salaries at Dairy Farmers of America and Prairie Farms Dairy are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average dock worker salary at companies like United Natural Foods and Salt Lake County are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dairy Farmers of America | $41,170 | $19.79 |
| 2 | Prairie Farms Dairy | $39,597 | $19.04 |
| 3 | United Natural Foods | $38,991 | $18.75 |
| 4 | Salt Lake County | $38,865 | $18.69 |
| 5 | XPO Logistics | $38,838 | $18.67 |
| 6 | University of Kentucky | $38,799 | $18.65 |
| 7 | Bimbo Bakeries | $38,795 | $18.65 |
| 8 | Trident Seafoods | $38,768 | $18.64 |
| 9 | Cargill | $38,653 | $18.58 |
| 10 | USF Reddaway | $38,399 | $18.46 |
| 11 | New Penn Financial, LLC | $37,182 | $17.88 |
| 12 | Carmeuse | $37,011 | $17.79 |
| 13 | Borden Dairy Company | $36,972 | $17.77 |
| 14 | H-E-B | $36,946 | $17.76 |
| 15 | Superior Dairy | $36,631 | $17.61 |
| 16 | ADM | $36,329 | $17.47 |
| 17 | Maverick Transportation | $36,057 | $17.34 |
| 18 | Raymond | $35,936 | $17.28 |
| 19 | Sullivan Tire and Auto Service | $35,925 | $17.27 |
| 20 | Optimum Nutrition | $35,897 | $17.26 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Dock Worker salary by industry
The average dock worker salary varies across industries:
- The average dock worker salary in the manufacturing industry is $35,927, the highest of any industry.
- The average dock worker salary in the finance industry is $34,903.
- Dock workers in the transportation industry earn an average salary of $33,917, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for dock workers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $35,927 | $17.27 |
| 2 | Technology | $34,903 | $16.78 |
| 3 | Retail | $34,153 | $16.42 |
| 4 | Transportation | $33,917 | $16.31 |
High paying dock worker jobs
Dock worker salary trends
The average dock worker salary has risen by $8,532 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average dock worker earned $27,495 annually, but today, they earn $36,027 a year. That works out to a 20% change in pay for dock workers over the last decade.
Compare dock worker salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average dock worker salary over time
Compare dock worker salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Dock worker salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $36,000 | $17.32 | +5.2% |
| 2024 | $34,200 | $16.42 | +4.2% |
| 2023 | $32,700 | $15.73 | +4.3% |
| 2022 | $31,300 | $15.05 | +3.9% |
| 2021 | $30,100 | $14.46 | +3.7% |
Recently added dock worker salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Us Logistics Solutions In | Dock Worker | Ypsilanti, MI | 06/29/2025 | $33,392 |
| Us Logistics Solutions In | Dock Worker | Humble, TX | 06/29/2025 | $29,218 |
| Aerotek | Dock Worker | Saint Paul, MN | 06/28/2025 | $41,740 |
| Estes Express Lines | Dock Worker | Columbia, MO | 06/28/2025 | $50,088 |
| Lily Transportation LLC | Dock Workers | Mansfield, MA | 06/28/2025 | $39,653 |
| LKQ Corporation | Cross-Dock Worker | Alsip, IL | 06/27/2025 | $39,653 |
| Us Logistics Solutions In | Dock Worker | Maryland | 06/27/2025 | $29,218 |
| United Natural Foods Inc. | Loader/Dock Worker; Harrisburg | Harrisburg, PA | 06/26/2025 | $45,392 |
| Manpowergroup | Warehouse Worker-Dock Worker No Forklift | Ontario, CA | 06/25/2025 | $41,740 |
| Centerline Drivers | Dock Worker-Transportation | Conley, GA | 06/24/2025 | $58,436 |
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