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What is a material handling specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a material handling specialist. For example, did you know that they make an average of $18.17 an hour? That's $37,786 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 358,300 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreMaterial Handling SpecialistUS Average
Salary
3.0

Avg. Salary $37,786

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.4

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
9.8
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.18%

Asian 5.63%

Black or African American 14.06%

Hispanic or Latino 18.81%

Unknown 5.37%

White 54.95%

Gender

female 27.79%

male 72.21%

Age - 39
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39
Stress level
6.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
4.7

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.4

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Material handling specialist career paths

Key steps to become a material handling specialist

  1. Explore material handling specialist education requirements

    Most common material handling specialist degrees

    High School Diploma

    32.2 %

    Bachelor's

    30.6 %

    Associate

    25.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific material handling specialist skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Logistics10.75%
    Safety Procedures6.96%
    Safety Regulations6.91%
    Data Entry6.90%
    Shipping Receiving5.68%
  3. Complete relevant material handling specialist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New material handling specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a material handling specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real material handling specialist resumes.
  4. Research material handling specialist duties and responsibilities

    • Experience in managing JIT material handling, shipping, rail dock, truck dock and metal assembly areas.
    • Develop and maintain experience in logistics field for future advancement.
    • Direct inbound or outbound logistics operations, such as transportation or warehouse activities, safety performance, or logistics quality management.
    • Configure local network PC user profiles and deploy computers, printers, and scanners.
  5. Prepare your material handling specialist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your material handling specialist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a material handling specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable material handling specialist resume templates

    Build a professional material handling specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your material handling specialist resume.
    Material Handling Specialist Resume
    Material Handling Specialist Resume
    Material Handling Specialist Resume
    Material Handling Specialist Resume
    Material Handling Specialist Resume
    Material Handling Specialist Resume
    Material Handling Specialist Resume
    Material Handling Specialist Resume
    Material Handling Specialist Resume
  6. Apply for material handling specialist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a material handling specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first material handling specialist job

Zippi

Are you a material handling specialist?

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Average material handling specialist salary

The average material handling specialist salary in the United States is $37,786 per year or $18 per hour. Material handling specialist salaries range between $30,000 and $47,000 per year.

Average material handling specialist salary
$37,786 Yearly
$18.17 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do material handling specialists rate their job?

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Material handling specialist reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2022
Pros

It saves time and makes work easier and enhance greater output


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2021
Cons

Physical toll.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019
Pros

Learning where the parts are for such as the refinery. Nuts and bolts are used for. Washers, flanges and pipes are connected to.

Cons

Not being able to learn where every part goes to. For instance parts that go to a furnace, train, or a converter.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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