Best states for a material handler

Q: What is the best state for material handlers?

The best state to be a material handler is Wisconsin based on material handler salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for material handlers?

The highest paying state for material handlers is Louisiana based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for material handlers?

The worst state for material handlers is Louisiana, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for material handlers? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for material handler jobs.Our research shows that Wisconsin is the best state in the country for material handlers.

To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for material handlers. Wisconsin is the best state for material handlers, where the median salary is $37,294.If you are currently seeking employment as a material handler, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for material handlers in 2025

1. Wisconsin
Total material handler jobs: 1,564
Average annual salary: $37,294
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Location Quotient:
1.41
Material handler jobs in Wisconsin
2. Minnesota
Total material handler jobs: 1,281
Average annual salary: $38,144
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000
Location Quotient:
0.96
Material handler jobs in Minnesota
3. North Dakota
Total material handler jobs: 167
Average annual salary: $36,004
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Location Quotient:
0.89
Material handler jobs in North Dakota
4. Iowa
Total material handler jobs: 780
Average annual salary: $35,428
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Location Quotient:
1.07
Material handler jobs in Iowa
5. Pennsylvania
Total material handler jobs: 4,336
Average annual salary: $34,542
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
1.86
Material handler jobs in Pennsylvania
6. Indiana
Total material handler jobs: 2,251
Average annual salary: $34,383
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
1.71
Material handler jobs in Indiana
7. Ohio
Total material handler jobs: 2,553
Average annual salary: $34,394
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
1.24
Material handler jobs in Ohio
8. Kansas
Total material handler jobs: 732
Average annual salary: $34,393
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
1.21
Material handler jobs in Kansas
9. Massachusetts
Total material handler jobs: 1,664
Average annual salary: $36,368
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
0.9
Material handler jobs in Massachusetts
10. Vermont
Total material handler jobs: 119
Average annual salary: $36,258
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Location Quotient:
0.77
Material handler jobs in Vermont

Material handler jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a material handler

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a material handler

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Wisconsin	$37,294	$29,000	5,795,483	1,564
2	Minnesota	$38,144	$30,000	5,576,606	1,281
3	North Dakota	$36,004	$29,000	755,393	167
4	Iowa	$35,428	$28,000	3,145,711	780
5	Pennsylvania	$34,542	$27,000	12,805,537	4,336
6	Indiana	$34,383	$27,000	6,666,818	2,251
7	Ohio	$34,394	$27,000	11,658,609	2,553
8	Kansas	$34,393	$27,000	2,913,123	732
9	Massachusetts	$36,368	$29,000	6,859,819	1,664
10	Vermont	$36,258	$29,000	623,657	119
11	Michigan	$33,966	$27,000	9,962,311	1,860
12	Washington	$36,638	$29,000	7,405,743	1,102
13	Oregon	$36,225	$28,000	4,142,776	672
14	Rhode Island	$34,751	$27,000	1,059,639	264
15	Nebraska	$35,428	$28,000	1,920,076	258
16	Wyoming	$35,728	$28,000	579,315	42
17	New Hampshire	$34,304	$27,000	1,342,795	325
18	District of Columbia	$42,226	$33,000	693,972	28
19	Maine	$34,547	$28,000	1,335,907	186
20	Illinois	$34,101	$27,000	12,802,023	2,610
21	Nevada	$33,384	$26,000	2,998,039	499
22	Colorado	$35,795	$28,000	5,607,154	686
23	Kentucky	$32,146	$25,000	4,454,189	1,119
24	California	$35,015	$27,000	39,536,653	5,816
25	Utah	$33,083	$26,000	3,101,833	643
26	New Jersey	$33,590	$26,000	9,005,644	3,286
27	New York	$35,282	$28,000	19,849,399	1,684
28	Maryland	$34,021	$26,000	6,052,177	1,592
29	Missouri	$33,108	$26,000	6,113,532	1,005
30	South Dakota	$32,988	$26,000	869,666	124
31	Hawaii	$35,606	$29,000	1,427,538	70
32	Tennessee	$30,116	$23,000	6,715,984	1,674
33	Alaska	$33,950	$28,000	739,795	57
34	Arizona	$31,571	$24,000	7,016,270	1,346
35	Connecticut	$33,176	$26,000	3,588,184	442
36	West Virginia	$32,072	$25,000	1,815,857	121
37	Idaho	$31,493	$25,000	1,716,943	267
38	Delaware	$33,419	$26,000	961,939	125
39	Oklahoma	$31,626	$25,000	3,930,864	369
40	Georgia	$29,962	$23,000	10,429,379	2,246
41	Montana	$31,683	$25,000	1,050,493	115
42	North Carolina	$29,651	$23,000	10,273,419	1,605
43	Mississippi	$28,268	$22,000	2,984,100	498
44	Arkansas	$29,402	$23,000	3,004,279	386
45	Texas	$29,950	$23,000	28,304,596	3,239
46	South Carolina	$29,554	$23,000	5,024,369	747
47	Virginia	$31,001	$24,000	8,470,020	1,375
48	Florida	$27,780	$21,000	20,984,400	2,483
49	Alabama	$27,321	$21,000	4,874,747	566
50	New Mexico	$28,497	$22,000	2,088,070	109
51	Louisiana	$26,605	$20,000	4,684,333	278

Highest paying states for material handlers

Rank	State	Avg. Material Handler Salary
1	Wisconsin	$37,294
2	Minnesota	$38,144
3	North Dakota	$36,004
4	Iowa	$35,428
5	Pennsylvania	$34,542
6	Indiana	$34,383
7	Ohio	$34,394
8	Kansas	$34,393
9	Massachusetts	$36,368
10	Vermont	$36,258
11	Michigan	$33,966
12	Washington	$36,638
13	Oregon	$36,225
14	Rhode Island	$34,751
15	Nebraska	$35,428
16	Wyoming	$35,728
17	New Hampshire	$34,304
18	District of Columbia	$42,226
19	Maine	$34,547
20	Illinois	$34,101
21	Nevada	$33,384
22	Colorado	$35,795
23	Kentucky	$32,146
24	California	$35,015
25	Utah	$33,083
26	New Jersey	$33,590
27	New York	$35,282
28	Maryland	$34,021
29	Missouri	$33,108
30	South Dakota	$32,988
31	Hawaii	$35,606
32	Tennessee	$30,116
33	Alaska	$33,950
34	Arizona	$31,571
35	Connecticut	$33,176
36	West Virginia	$32,072
37	Idaho	$31,493
38	Delaware	$33,419
39	Oklahoma	$31,626
40	Georgia	$29,962
41	Montana	$31,683
42	North Carolina	$29,651
43	Mississippi	$28,268
44	Arkansas	$29,402
45	Texas	$29,950
46	South Carolina	$29,554
47	Virginia	$31,001
48	Florida	$27,780
49	Alabama	$27,321
50	New Mexico	$28,497
51	Louisiana	$26,605

Material handler best states FAQs

What is the best state for material handlers?

What is the highest paying state for material handlers?

What is the worst state for material handlers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common transportation questions.

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Transportation Industry
Material Handler
Best states for Material Handlers

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse transportation jobs

Total material handler jobs:	1,564
Average annual salary:	$37,294
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$29,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$46,000
Location Quotient:	1.41

Best states for a material handler

10 best states for material handlers in 2025

1. Wisconsin

2. Minnesota

3. North Dakota

4. Iowa

5. Pennsylvania

6. Indiana

7. Ohio

8. Kansas

9. Massachusetts

10. Vermont