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Job outlook for material handlers in the United States
Material handler job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected material handler job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 358,300 new jobs for material handlers are projected over the next decade.
Material handler salaries have increased 20% for material handlers in the last 5 years.
There are over 1,843,622 material handlers currently employed in the United States.
There are 174,068 active material handler job openings in the US.
The average material handler salary is $33,215.
Are material handler jobs in demand?
Yes, material handler jobs are in demand. Material handler demand is projected to grow 6% from 2018 to 2028.
Material handler job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of material handler jobs and the average material handler salary over time.
Material handler jobs over time
Material handler job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,843,622 | 0.55% |
| 2020 | 1,587,811 | 0.47% |
| 2019 | 1,870,493 | 0.56% |
| 2018 | 1,615,378 | 0.49% |
| 2017 | 1,530,645 | 0.46% |
Average material handler salary over time
Material handler salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $33,215 | $15.97 | +5.5% |
| 2024 | $31,497 | $15.14 | +4.4% |
| 2023 | $30,162 | $14.50 | +4.5% |
| 2022 | $28,860 | $13.88 | +4.1% |
| 2021 | $27,729 | $13.33 | +3.9% |
Material handler jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of material handler job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where material handlers earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for material handlers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 3,286 | 36% |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 4,336 | 34% |
| 3 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 2,251 | 34% |
| 4 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 1,564 | 27% |
| 5 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,592 | 26% |
| 6 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 1,674 | 25% |
| 7 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 1,119 | 25% |
| 8 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 780 | 25% |
| 9 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 732 | 25% |
| 10 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 264 | 25% |
| 11 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,664 | 24% |
| 12 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 325 | 24% |
| 13 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,281 | 23% |
| 14 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 2,553 | 22% |
| 15 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 2,246 | 22% |
| 16 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 167 | 22% |
| 17 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 643 | 21% |
| 18 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 2,610 | 20% |
| 19 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 1,860 | 19% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 119 | 19% |
Most common cities for material handlers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tualatin | 21 | 76% | $36,203 |
| 2 | Romeoville | 18 | 45% | $34,078 |
| 3 | Bolingbrook | 18 | 24% | $34,099 |
| 4 | Fremont | 30 | 13% | $35,755 |
| 5 | Grand Rapids | 25 | 13% | $33,921 |
| 6 | Fontana | 17 | 8% | $34,659 |
| 7 | Cincinnati | 18 | 6% | $33,560 |
| 8 | Indianapolis | 42 | 5% | $34,248 |
| 9 | Atlanta | 22 | 5% | $30,153 |
| 10 | Minneapolis | 17 | 4% | $38,154 |
| 11 | Austin | 24 | 3% | $29,870 |
| 12 | Fort Worth | 24 | 3% | $30,069 |
| 13 | Denver | 21 | 3% | $35,775 |
| 14 | Portland | 21 | 3% | $36,152 |
| 15 | Phoenix | 36 | 2% | $31,657 |
| 16 | Dallas | 20 | 2% | $30,028 |
| 17 | Jacksonville | 17 | 2% | $28,235 |
| 18 | Houston | 25 | 1% | $29,688 |