Lumber handler vs merchandise handler

The differences between lumber handlers and merchandise handlers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a merchandise handler has an average salary of $31,855, which is higher than the $28,973 average annual salary of a lumber handler.

The top three skills for a lumber handler include hand tools, pile and . The most important skills for a merchandise handler are basic math, math, and pallets.

Lumber handler vs merchandise handler overview

	Lumber Handler	Merchandise Handler
Yearly salary	$28,973	$31,855
Hourly rate	$13.93	$15.31
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	26,579	47,657
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 67%	High School Diploma, 43%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	-	-

Lumber handler vs merchandise handler salary

Lumber handlers and merchandise handlers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Lumber Handler	Merchandise Handler
Average salary	$28,973	$31,855
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $35,000	Between $26,000 And $37,000
Highest paying City	Missoula, MT	Taunton, MA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Hawaii
Best paying company	TPI	The RealReal
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Retail

Differences between lumber handler and merchandise handler education

There are a few differences between a lumber handler and a merchandise handler in terms of educational background:

	Lumber Handler	Merchandise Handler
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 67%	High School Diploma, 43%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Lumber handler vs merchandise handler demographics

Here are the differences between lumber handlers' and merchandise handlers' demographics:

	Lumber Handler	Merchandise Handler
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 95.9% Female, 4.1%	Male, 60.3% Female, 39.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 4.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.8% Asian, 5.9% White, 54.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between lumber handler and merchandise handler duties and responsibilities

Lumber handler example responsibilities.

Distribute production materials to designate locations on assembly lines observing the first-in-first-out (FIFO) inventory control practice.
Thrive in this fast-pace environment requiring memorization, accuracy, and stamina.

Merchandise handler example responsibilities.

Clean and maintain the warehouse in compliance with OSHA standards.
Make visual evaluations and floor moves while maintaining OSHA guidelines.
Process incoming merchandise shipments by unpacking products, moving items in WMS, steaming clothing, and stocking shelves.
Transport pallets to where they need to go in the store to insure products are stocked up properly for customer needs.
Distribute production materials to designate locations on assembly lines observing the first-in-first-out (FIFO) inventory control practice.
Greet customers while bagging their groceries, collect carts in parking lot, put away return items, general sanitation.

Lumber handler vs merchandise handler skills

Common lumber handler skills

Hand Tools, 85%
Pile, 15%

Common merchandise handler skills

Basic Math, 21%
Math, 17%
Pallets, 11%
Hand Tools, 10%
Purchase Orders, 6%
Hand Trucks, 6%

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Transportation Industry
Lumber Handler
Lumber Handler vs Merchandise Handler

Updated January 8, 2025

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