Material handler demographics and statistics in the US
Material handler demographics research summary. Zippia estimates material handler demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our material handler estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about material handlers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 1,843,622 material handlers currently employed in the United States.
- 22.4% of all material handlers are women, while 77.6% are men.
- The average material handler age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of material handlers is White (55.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.6%), Black or African American (13.9%) and Asian (5.6%).
- In 2022, women earned 96% of what men earned.
- 5% of all material handlers are LGBT.
- Material handlers are 52% more likely to work at public companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Material handler demographics by:
Material handler gender statistics
22.4% of material handlers are women and 77.6% of material handlers are men.
- Male, 77.6%
- Female, 22.4%
Material handler gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 77.6% |
| Female | 22.4% |
Material handler gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$33,672
Female income
$32,238
Material handler gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in material handler positions over time. Currently, 22.4% of material handlers are female.
Material handler gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 81.60% | 18.40% |
| 2011 | 82.06% | 17.94% |
| 2012 | 82.19% | 17.81% |
| 2013 | 81.53% | 18.47% |
| 2014 | 81.47% | 18.53% |
| 2015 | 81.65% | 18.35% |
| 2016 | 80.23% | 19.77% |
| 2017 | 80.68% | 19.32% |
| 2018 | 79.74% | 20.26% |
| 2019 | 78.40% | 21.60% |
| 2020 | 78.19% | 21.81% |
| 2021 | 77.61% | 22.39% |
Material handler related jobs gender ratio
We compared material handlers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, dredge operator and tower crane operator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Gift Wrapper | 12% | 88% |
| Gift Packer | 18% | 82% |
| Pill Packer | 19% | 81% |
| Material Handler | 78% | 22% |
| Green Chain Operator | 99% | 1% |
| Tower Crane Operator | 99% | 1% |
| Dredge Operator | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Material handler demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among material handlers is White, which makes up 55.7% of all material handlers. Comparatively, 18.6% of material handlers are Hispanic or Latino and 13.9% of material handlers are Black or African American.
- White, 55.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.6%
- Black or African American, 13.9%
- Asian, 5.6%
- Unknown, 5.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Material handler race
| Material handler race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 55.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.6% |
| Black or African American | 13.9% |
| Asian | 5.6% |
| Unknown | 5.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Material handler race and ethnicity over time
See how material handler racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Material handler race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.14% | 13.31% | 3.99% | 14.81% |
| 2011 | 63.27% | 14.75% | 4.02% | 14.86% |
| 2012 | 64.15% | 14.05% | 3.96% | 14.82% |
| 2013 | 64.43% | 13.50% | 4.08% | 14.81% |
| 2014 | 63.09% | 14.18% | 4.13% | 15.49% |
| 2015 | 62.55% | 13.73% | 4.11% | 16.34% |
| 2016 | 62.69% | 13.52% | 4.21% | 16.29% |
| 2017 | 62.33% | 13.31% | 4.64% | 16.36% |
| 2018 | 63.43% | 13.13% | 4.36% | 15.70% |
| 2019 | 62.00% | 13.37% | 4.57% | 16.66% |
| 2020 | 58.25% | 14.33% | 5.15% | 16.70% |
| 2021 | 55.74% | 13.86% | 5.61% | 18.56% |
Material handler wage gap by race
According to our data, white material handlers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american material handlers have the lowest average salary at $33,282.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $33,593 |
| White | $34,041 |
| Black or African American | $33,282 |
| Asian | $33,695 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $33,754 |
Average material handler age
See how the average age of material handlers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Material handler age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 38 | 37 |
| Unknown | 33 | 39 |
| Asian | 41.5 | 42 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 35 | 39 |
| White | 39 | 45 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 34.5 | 32 |
Material handler age breakdown
The average age of material handlers is 40+ years years old, representing 48% of the material handler population.
Material handler age breakdown
| Material Handler Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 48% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 27% |
Material handler educational attainment
The most common degree for material handlers is high school diploma, with 51% of material handlers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 17% and associate degree degree at 14%.
- High School Diploma, 51%
- Associate, 17%
- Bachelor's, 14%
- Diploma, 13%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Material handlers by degree level
| Material handler degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 51% |
| Associate | 17% |
| Bachelor's | 14% |
| Diploma | 13% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Material handler jobs you might like
Material handler wage gap by degree level
According to the data, material handlers with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $34,100 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, material handlers earn a median annual income of $33,894 compared to $33,514 for material handlers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $33,514 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $33,894 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $34,100 |
Material handler employment statistics
Most material handlers work for a public in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where material handlers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where material handlers work.
Material handler jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 1% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 4% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 9% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 29% |
| > 10,000 employees | 53% |
Material handler jobs by company type
Employees with the material handler job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most material handlers prefer to work at public companies over private companies.
Material handler jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 52% |
| Private | 46% |
| Government | 1% |
Material handler jobs by industry
The most common industries for material handlers are manufacturing, retail and professional.
Material handler industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Fortune 500 | 22% |
| Manufacturing | 20% |
| Retail | 12% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Transportation | 7% |
| Technology | 7% |
| Automotive | 5% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
Material handler turnover and employment statistics
Material handler unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for material handlers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Material handler unemployment rate by year
| Year | Material handler unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 16.75% |
| 2011 | 16.09% |
| 2012 | 14.47% |
| 2013 | 13.53% |
| 2014 | 11.22% |
| 2015 | 10.22% |
| 2016 | 9.47% |
| 2017 | 9.08% |
| 2018 | 7.89% |
| 2019 | 7.90% |
| 2020 | 9.98% |
| 2021 | 10.05% |
Average material handler tenure
The average material handler stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 148,136 material handlers resumes in Zippia's database.
Material handler tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 35% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 12% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
Material handler LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of material handlers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Wrecking Crane Engine Operator | 1.94% | 27,915 |
| Straddle Truck Operator | 3.85% | 87,369 |
| Limb Driver | 4.13% | 36,215 |
| Water Filter Cleaner | 4.59% | 39,581 |
| Material Handler | 4.67% | - |
| Case Filler | 6.68% | 30,292 |
| Print Line Feeder | 10.43% | 46,588 |
Similar material handler jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Wrecking Crane Engine Operator | 1.94% | 27,915 |
| Straddle Truck Operator | 3.85% | 87,369 |
| Limb Driver | 4.13% | 36,215 |
| Water Filter Cleaner | 4.59% | 39,581 |
| Case Filler | 6.68% | 30,292 |
| Print Line Feeder | 10.43% | 46,588 |
Foreign languages spoken by material handlers
The most common foreign language among material handlers is Spanish at 77.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 5.9% and Carrier is the third-most popular at 2.4%.
- Spanish, 77.2%
- French, 5.9%
- Carrier, 2.4%
- German, 2.1%
- Arabic, 1.7%
- Other, 10.7%
Material handler languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 77.2% |
| French | 5.9% |
| Carrier | 2.4% |
| German | 2.1% |
| Arabic | 1.7% |
| Other | 10.7% |
