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Material handling specialist salary
Average material handling specialist salary
$37,786
Understanding Material Handling Specialist Salaries
The average salary for a Material Handling Specialist is approximately $37,786 per year, translating to about $18 per hour. Salaries can vary based on factors such as location, experience, and the specific industry. For instance, those in metropolitan areas often earn more due to higher living costs and demand for skilled labor.
In terms of experience, entry-level positions may start lower, around $30,000, while seasoned professionals can earn upwards of $45,000 annually. The opportunity for advancement is significant; with additional training or certifications, specialists can transition into supervisory roles or logistics management.
To maximize earnings, consider exploring job opportunities in states such as California, Texas, and New York, where demand for material handling specialists is high. Additionally, cities like Los Angeles and Houston offer some of the highest salaries in this field, making them ideal locations for job seekers.
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Where can a Material Handling Specialist earn more?
Material handling specialist salaries by experience level
Average material handling specialist salary by state
The highest-paying states for material handling specialists are New York, Massachusetts, and Alaska. The lowest average material handling specialist salary states are Virginia, South Dakota, and Mississippi.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for material handling specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana | $45,284 | $21.77 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $44,028 | $21.17 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $46,643 | $22.42 |
| 4 | Ohio | $43,349 | $20.84 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $49,118 | $23.61 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $44,096 | $21.20 |
| 7 | New York | $49,809 | $23.95 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $44,173 | $21.24 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $40,697 | $19.57 |
| 10 | Vermont | $45,749 | $21.99 |
| 11 | Iowa | $40,763 | $19.60 |
| 12 | Oregon | $42,610 | $20.49 |
| 13 | Alaska | $46,781 | $22.49 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $40,365 | $19.41 |
| 15 | Michigan | $38,703 | $18.61 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $49,795 | $23.94 |
| 17 | Maryland | $40,668 | $19.55 |
| 18 | Arizona | $38,709 | $18.61 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $40,176 | $19.32 |
| 20 | Utah | $39,368 | $18.93 |
| 21 | Montana | $40,946 | $19.69 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $37,716 | $18.13 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $42,235 | $20.31 |
| 24 | Washington | $41,631 | $20.01 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $41,584 | $19.99 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $38,543 | $18.53 |
| 27 | Colorado | $41,110 | $19.76 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $36,179 | $17.39 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $38,167 | $18.35 |
| 30 | Nevada | $36,639 | $17.61 |
| 31 | Illinois | $37,931 | $18.24 |
| 32 | Delaware | $39,588 | $19.03 |
| 33 | Kansas | $35,921 | $17.27 |
| 34 | Missouri | $37,441 | $18.00 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $37,206 | $17.89 |
| 36 | Florida | $37,248 | $17.91 |
| 37 | Idaho | $37,114 | $17.84 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $36,804 | $17.69 |
| 39 | Alabama | $36,110 | $17.36 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $35,576 | $17.10 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $34,141 | $16.41 |
| 42 | Georgia | $35,589 | $17.11 |
| 43 | California | $36,845 | $17.71 |
| 44 | Maine | $36,787 | $17.69 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $34,586 | $16.63 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $35,118 | $16.88 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $35,570 | $17.10 |
| 48 | Virginia | $34,673 | $16.67 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $34,613 | $16.64 |
| 50 | Texas | $34,478 | $16.58 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $28,934 | $13.91 |
Highest paying cities for material handling specialists
The highest-paying cities for material handling specialists are Marlborough, MA, York, PA, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marlborough, MA | $49,157 | $23.63 |
| 2 | York, PA | $43,439 | $20.88 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $41,838 | $20.11 |
| 4 | Aurora, CO | $41,109 | $19.76 |
| 5 | New Berlin, WI | $40,632 | $19.53 |
| 6 | Newark, NJ | $40,421 | $19.43 |
| 7 | Newark, DE | $39,634 | $19.05 |
| 8 | Charleston, SC | $38,241 | $18.39 |
| 9 | Sunnyvale, CA | $38,227 | $18.38 |
| 10 | Holland, MI | $38,148 | $18.34 |
| 11 | Liberty, MO | $37,455 | $18.01 |
| 12 | Davie, FL | $37,237 | $17.90 |
| 13 | Henderson, NV | $36,325 | $17.46 |
| 14 | Smyrna, TN | $36,254 | $17.43 |
| 15 | Atlanta, GA | $35,496 | $17.07 |
| 16 | San Antonio, TX | $34,768 | $16.72 |
| 17 | Elizabethtown, KY | $34,069 | $16.38 |
Material handling specialist salary details
A material handling specialist's salary ranges from $30,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $47,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a material handling specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $47,000 | $3,917 | $23 |
| 75th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| Average | $37,786 | $3,149 | $18 |
| 25th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
Highest paying material handling specialist jobs
The highest paying types of material handling specialists are specialist, ammunition specialist, and materials specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warehouse Employee | $32,510 | $2,709 | $15.63 | 186,499 |
| Warehouse Technician | $34,985 | $2,915 | $16.82 | 231,431 |
| Warehouse Attendant | $33,093 | $2,758 | $15.91 | 210,627 |
| Material Handler/Warehouse | $32,384 | $2,699 | $15.57 | 154,227 |
| Material Handler/Forklift Operator | $36,453 | $3,038 | $17.53 | 168,379 |
| Material Handler | $33,215 | $2,768 | $15.97 | 174,068 |
Top companies hiring material handling specialists now:
Which companies pay material handling specialists the most?
Material handling specialist salaries at University of Delaware and Twin City Fan Companies are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average material handling specialist salary at companies like University of Washington and McKesson are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Delaware | $41,194 | $19.80 |
| 2 | Twin City Fan Companies | $40,737 | $19.59 |
| 3 | University of Washington | $40,024 | $19.24 |
| 4 | McKesson | $38,939 | $18.72 |
| 5 | Indiana Packers | $38,700 | $18.61 |
| 6 | Boeing | $38,331 | $18.43 |
| 7 | Rehrig Pacific | $37,787 | $18.17 |
| 8 | U.S. Venture | $37,545 | $18.05 |
| 9 | Spec's | $37,246 | $17.91 |
| 10 | Komatsu America Corp. | $37,160 | $17.87 |
| 11 | JBS USA | $37,102 | $17.84 |
| 12 | DXP Enterprises | $36,962 | $17.77 |
| 13 | Cashman Equipment | $36,889 | $17.74 |
| 14 | Savage | $36,436 | $17.52 |
| 15 | NuWest Group | $36,356 | $17.48 |
| 16 | Csl | $36,337 | $17.47 |
| 17 | Enviva | $36,336 | $17.47 |
| 18 | The Dump Furniture Outlet | $36,293 | $17.45 |
| 19 | Johnson Electric | $36,291 | $17.45 |
| 20 | Industrial Electric | $36,242 | $17.42 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Material Handling Specialist salary by industry
The average material handling specialist salary varies across industries:
- The average material handling specialist salary in the technology industry is $39,486, the highest of any industry.
- The average material handling specialist salary in the finance industry is $37,899.
- Material handling specialists in the education industry earn an average salary of $34,002, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for material handling specialists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $39,486 | $18.98 |
| 2 | Health Care | $37,899 | $18.22 |
| 3 | Transportation | $37,397 | $17.98 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $36,113 | $17.36 |
| 5 | Retail | $34,907 | $16.78 |
| 6 | Education | $34,002 | $16.35 |
High paying material handling specialist jobs
Material handling specialist salary trends
The average material handling specialist salary has risen by $8,949 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average material handling specialist earned $28,837 annually, but today, they earn $37,786 a year. That works out to a 20% change in pay for material handling specialists over the last decade.
Compare material handling specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average material handling specialist salary over time
Compare material handling specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Material handling specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $37,800 | $18.17 | +5.2% |
| 2025 | $35,800 | $17.23 | +4.2% |
| 2024 | $34,300 | $16.50 | +4.3% |
| 2023 | $32,800 | $15.78 | +3.9% |
| 2022 | $31,500 | $15.17 | +3.7% |
Recently added material handling specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preference Employment Solutions | Material Handling Specialist | Fargo, ND | 06/30/2025 | $43,827 |
| Nikon Precision | Materials Handling Specialist | Hillsboro, OR | 06/16/2025 | $42,700 |
| SRC Inc. | Material Handling Specialist (1ST Shift, Temporary) | Syracuse, NY | 06/05/2025 | $41,740 |
| Kelly Services | Material Handling Specialist | Vernon, TX | 05/21/2025 | $49,441 |
| CBRE | Hazardous Material Handling Specialist | Santa Clara, CA | 03/22/2025 | $66,784 |
| Nuwaves RF Solutions | Material Handling Specialist | Middletown, OH | 03/06/2025 | $31,305 |
| Theleegroup | Material Handling Specialist | Chesapeake, VA | 02/17/2025 | $33,392 |
| The Lee Group | Material Handling Specialist | Suffolk, VA | 01/27/2025 | $33,392 |
| Nuwaves RF Solutions | Material Handling Specialist | Middletown, OH | 01/18/2025 | $31,305 |
| SRC | Material Handling Specialist (Temporary) | Syracuse, NY | 12/09/2024 | $41,740 |
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