National Salary Info » Laborers and Material Movers

Highest Paying Industries for Laborers and Material Movers

The top 100 highest paying industries for laborers and material movers (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $67,350, natural gas distribution is the highest paying industry for laborers and material movers. It is followed by postal service (federal government) industry (average annual salary $54,510). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of laborers and material movers in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Laborers and Material Movers

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Natural Gas Distribution	$67,350	$28,370	360
2	Postal Service (federal government)	$54,510	$43,080	n/a
3	Motor Vehicle Manufacturing	$53,560	$28,020	2,640
4	Support Activities for Water Transportation	$44,120	$22,030	22,280
5	Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution	$42,310	$20,080	2,480
6	Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation	$42,140	$21,570	1,420
7	Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters	$42,010	$20,490	2,290
8	Utilities	$41,970	$19,860	3,180
9	Coal Mining	$41,210	$18,530	n/a
10	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Local government owned	$40,290	$25,150	50
11	Federal government, including USPS	$39,630	$28,170	6,820
12	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$39,540	$28,110	6,780
13	Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries	$37,950	$18,700	9,420
14	Performing Arts Companies	$37,140	$19,380	3,690
15	Rail Transportation	$36,880	$19,930	2,770
16	Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers	$36,530	$19,970	3,030
17	Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	$36,310	$20,410	4,380
18	Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills	$35,940	$21,180	4,310
19	Lime and Gypsum Product Manufacturing	$34,540	$18,150	820
20	Metal Ore Mining	$33,250	$17,670	n/a
21	Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$33,030	$20,700	1,790
22	Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing	$32,990	$20,760	1,750
23	Casino Hotels	$32,780	$18,500	1,700
24	Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil	$32,690	$18,910	100
25	Electrical Equipment Manufacturing	$32,610	$21,330	3,530
26	Scheduled Air Transportation	$32,570	$21,210	25,500
27	Household Appliance Manufacturing	$32,530	$21,380	2,380
28	Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing	$32,430	$21,140	520
29	Air Transportation	$32,360	$21,150	26,090
30	Water Transportation	$32,270	$19,490	2,570
31	Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals - State government owned	$32,010	$25,550	70
32	Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries	$31,860	$18,190	17,590
33	Hardware Manufacturing	$31,740	$20,980	860
34	Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing	$31,460	$20,850	12,880
35	Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing	$31,370	$20,860	2,180
36	Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing	$31,340	$20,650	5,140
37	Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing	$31,110	$19,200	1,320
38	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$31,070	$18,490	42,870
39	Federal, State, and Local Government	$31,070	$18,490	42,870
40	Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$30,850	$20,280	33,680
41	Ship and Boat Building	$30,560	$19,680	2,060
42	Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	$30,510	$19,750	4,050
43	Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events	$30,400	$17,870	9,070
44	Cable and Other Subscription Programming	$30,010	$18,850	340
45	Mining (except Oil and Gas)	$29,950	$18,290	3,920
46	Nonresidential Building Construction	$29,870	$18,990	2,950
47	Grain and Oilseed Milling	$29,820	$18,530	3,800
48	Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing	$29,740	$19,420	6,200
49	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - Privately owned	$29,600	$20,420	2,880
50	Machinery Manufacturing	$29,600	$19,420	24,450
51	Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$29,560	$18,190	32,120
52	Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing	$29,550	$21,060	4,620
53	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$29,480	$17,950	n/a
54	Support Activities for Rail Transportation	$29,460	$18,880	3,270
55	Warehousing and Storage	$29,430	$19,200	257,770
56	Agriculture, Construction, and Mining Machinery Manufacturing	$29,410	$19,080	7,270
57	Activities Related to Credit Intermediation	$29,390	$19,680	n/a
58	Boiler, Tank, and Shipping Container Manufacturing	$29,360	$20,100	2,870
59	Glass and Glass Product Manufacturing	$29,350	$18,730	7,990
60	Basic Chemical Manufacturing	$29,310	$18,460	2,570
61	Dairy Product Manufacturing	$29,310	$18,670	11,870
62	Offices of All Other Health Practitioners	$29,300	$24,960	n/a
63	Offices of Other Health Practitioners	$29,300	$24,960	n/a
64	Scientific Research and Development Services	$29,300	$17,910	1,090
65	Wired Telecommunications Carriers	$29,300	$19,520	1,100
66	Engineering Services	$29,270	$18,710	3,460
67	Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing	$29,240	$19,760	17,680
68	Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing	$29,240	$19,260	3,590
69	Roofing Contractors	$29,210	$19,870	710
70	Oil and Gas Extraction	$29,200	$19,800	670
71	Local government, including schools and hospitals	$29,190	$18,180	n/a
72	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	$29,110	$19,540	3,260
73	Mining	$29,110	$18,300	11,050
74	Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing	$29,090	$19,730	1,110
75	Hospitals - Privately owned	$29,080	$19,160	3,050
76	Foundries	$29,080	$20,130	2,430
77	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$29,030	$17,880	1,070
78	Primary Metal Manufacturing	$29,030	$19,940	13,660
79	Hospitals - State government owned	$29,020	$20,550	130
80	Utility System Construction	$29,010	$18,580	4,410
81	Elementary and Secondary Schools - Local government owned	$28,950	$18,520	2,500
82	Rubber Product Manufacturing	$28,900	$18,640	3,590
83	Metal and Mineral (except Petroleum) Merchant Wholesalers	$28,810	$19,550	13,940
84	Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors	$28,750	$19,080	3,420
85	Hospitals (including private, state, and local government hospitals)	$28,730	$18,770	3,510
86	Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing	$28,710	$19,260	8,790
87	Urban Transit Systems	$28,700	$18,230	800
88	Telecommunications	$28,690	$19,060	1,290
89	General Freight Trucking	$28,690	$18,700	67,630
90	Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing	$28,670	$20,210	n/a
91	Support Activities for Mining	$28,670	$18,210	6,450
92	Travel Agencies	$28,590	$21,180	80
93	Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction	$28,540	$19,970	1,890
94	Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing	$28,500	$20,020	1,830
95	Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing	$28,390	$18,510	20,870
96	Legal Services	$28,370	$19,900	n/a
97	Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers	$28,370	$19,070	7,990
98	Insurance Carriers	$28,360	$20,120	70
99	Other Specialty Trade Contractors	$28,350	$19,070	6,280
100	Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel	$28,330	$19,910	3,140