Stockers and Order Fillers
Stockers and Order Fillers (SOC 53-7065) earn a median $37,330 a year ($17.95 an hour) in the United States, with 2,833,810 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What stockers and order fillers do
Stockers and order fillers receive, store, and issue merchandise, materials, and equipment from stockrooms, warehouses, and storage yards. They stamp, attach, or change price tags and fill shelves, racks, cases, bins, and tables, sometimes setting up sales displays and answering customers' questions about merchandise. When filling orders they pick items to fill customer orders, complete order receipts, keep a record of outgoing orders, and issue supplies to coworkers or customers based on requisitions. Some jobs involve forklifts or other power equipment. It differs from shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks, who do the paperwork rather than the physical handling; from hand laborers, who move freight without sorting to orders; and from packers, who prepare goods for shipment by hand. The SOC definition adds that stockers may operate power equipment such as forklifts to fill orders and may mark prices on merchandise.
Typical entry: O*NET reports that most workers in this occupation have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Also called: Agent Contract Clerk, Backroom Associate, Bakery Products Checker, Bay Stocker, Camera Storage Clerk.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $14.48 | $16.56 | $17.95 | $21.47 | $23.68 | $19.01 | 2,833,810 |
| Annual | $30,110 | $34,450 | $37,330 | $44,650 | $49,260 | $39,540 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where stockers and order fillers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $17.77 | $18.74 | $21.45 | $23.21 | $27.75 | $21.96 | 57,370 | 16.16 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $36,960 | $38,980 | $44,620 | $48,290 | $57,720 | $45,690 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $17.15 | $18.03 | $20.90 | $22.42 | $24.50 | $20.77 | 42,690 | 21.70 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $35,670 | $37,500 | $43,480 | $46,640 | $50,960 | $43,210 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $17.26 | $18.09 | $20.61 | $22.03 | $26.36 | $20.89 | 310,870 | 17.07 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $35,910 | $37,630 | $42,870 | $45,820 | $54,820 | $43,440 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $17.18 | $18.55 | $20.36 | $22.41 | $23.95 | $20.89 | 55,520 | 19.32 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $35,720 | $38,590 | $42,350 | $46,620 | $49,820 | $43,450 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $17.09 | $17.51 | $19.51 | $21.08 | $23.43 | $20.09 | 35,490 | 20.92 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $35,540 | $36,410 | $40,590 | $43,840 | $48,740 | $41,800 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $13.88 | $15.97 | $17.71 | $21.67 | $22.69 | $18.56 | 322,710 | 22.93 | 1.26 |
| Annual | $28,870 | $33,220 | $36,840 | $45,080 | $47,180 | $38,610 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $17.26 | $18.09 | $20.61 | $22.03 | $26.36 | $20.89 | 310,870 | 17.07 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $35,910 | $37,630 | $42,870 | $45,820 | $54,820 | $43,440 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $14.42 | $15.31 | $17.50 | $21.02 | $23.37 | $18.44 | 171,380 | 17.26 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $29,990 | $31,830 | $36,400 | $43,730 | $48,610 | $38,360 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $16.41 | $17.19 | $18.76 | $22.16 | $27.33 | $20.40 | 146,140 | 15.09 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $34,130 | $35,760 | $39,030 | $46,080 | $56,850 | $42,430 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $13.83 | $15.45 | $17.85 | $21.16 | $23.45 | $18.71 | 129,760 | 23.38 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $28,770 | $32,130 | $37,130 | $44,000 | $48,770 | $38,920 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Cheyenne, WY | Hourly | $18.09 | $19.46 | $22.55 | $28.75 | $30.74 | $23.65 | 1,720 | 35.41 | 1.94 |
| Annual | $37,620 | $40,470 | $46,900 | $59,810 | $63,940 | $49,190 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $18.52 | $20.14 | $22.52 | $24.28 | $27.80 | $22.82 | 30,860 | 14.79 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $38,530 | $41,890 | $46,830 | $50,490 | $57,830 | $47,470 | ||||
| Kenosha, WI | Hourly | $14.46 | $17.33 | $22.13 | $23.22 | $29.12 | $21.25 | 2,530 | 33.52 | 1.84 |
| Annual | $30,080 | $36,040 | $46,030 | $48,310 | $60,570 | $44,210 | ||||
| Bend, OR | Hourly | $17.14 | $18.56 | $22.04 | $22.86 | $23.59 | $21.30 | 1,870 | 17.29 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $35,660 | $38,600 | $45,840 | $47,540 | $49,080 | $44,300 | ||||
| Bozeman, MT | Hourly | $17.85 | $18.97 | $21.88 | $23.92 | $26.51 | $21.51 | 1,340 | 18.51 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $37,140 | $39,450 | $45,520 | $49,750 | $55,140 | $44,740 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $16.48 | $17.13 | $18.56 | $22.05 | $27.43 | $20.37 | 131,080 | 13.81 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $34,270 | $35,640 | $38,600 | $45,860 | $57,050 | $42,380 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $14.53 | $16.65 | $18.07 | $22.16 | $23.29 | $19.30 | 111,100 | 27.43 | 1.51 |
| Annual | $30,220 | $34,630 | $37,590 | $46,080 | $48,450 | $40,140 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.18 | $17.95 | $18.58 | $22.08 | $26.24 | $20.39 | 85,630 | 13.65 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $35,730 | $37,330 | $38,650 | $45,930 | $54,580 | $42,400 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $16.02 | $17.52 | $18.48 | $21.56 | $23.61 | $19.57 | 79,850 | 17.69 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $33,310 | $36,430 | $38,450 | $44,850 | $49,100 | $40,700 | ||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | $17.26 | $18.93 | $20.77 | $21.18 | $23.64 | $20.84 | 77,160 | 44.95 | 2.47 |
| Annual | $35,900 | $39,380 | $43,200 | $44,060 | $49,160 | $43,350 | ||||
Top industries employing stockers and order fillers
General Merchandise Retailers employ 30.8% of stockers and order fillers nationally (871,910 jobs) at a median $36,340 a year ($17.47 an hour), followed by Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) (23.1%) and Warehousing and Storage (16.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Merchandise Retailers NAICS 455000 | 871,910 | 30.8% | $36,340 | $17.47 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) NAICS 4450A1 | 655,900 | 23.1% | $35,900 | $17.26 |
| Warehousing and Storage NAICS 493100 | 457,740 | 16.2% | $44,700 | $21.49 |
| Building Material and Supplies Dealers NAICS 444100 | 105,380 | 3.7% | $36,300 | $17.45 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) NAICS 4240A1 | 87,770 | 3.1% | $44,330 | $21.31 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (2,833,810). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $30,110 for stockers and order fillers in May 2021 and $37,330 in May 2025, with employment of 2,451,430 and 2,833,810.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $30,110 | $14.48 | 2,451,430 |
| May 2022 | $34,220 | $16.45 | 2,842,060 |
| May 2023 | $36,390 | $17.50 | 2,872,680 |
| May 2024 | $37,090 | $17.83 | 2,779,530 |
| May 2025 | $37,330 | $17.95 | 2,833,810 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington profile | $21.45 | $44,620 | $36,960 | $57,720 | 57,370 | 16.16 | 0.89 |
| 2 | Oregon profile | $20.90 | $43,480 | $35,670 | $50,960 | 42,690 | 21.70 | 1.19 |
| 3 | California profile | $20.61 | $42,870 | $35,910 | $54,820 | 310,870 | 17.07 | 0.94 |
| 4 | Colorado profile | $20.36 | $42,350 | $35,720 | $49,820 | 55,520 | 19.32 | 1.06 |
| 5 | Connecticut profile | $19.51 | $40,590 | $35,540 | $48,740 | 35,490 | 20.92 | 1.15 |
| 6 | Alaska profile | $19.38 | $40,310 | $34,230 | $57,050 | 6,770 | 20.81 | 1.14 |
| 7 | District of Columbia profile | $19.06 | $39,640 | $37,800 | $50,010 | 3,150 | 4.48 | 0.25 |
| 8 | Wyoming profile | $19.03 | $39,580 | $35,130 | $63,930 | 4,800 | 17.11 | 0.94 |
| 9 | Hawaii profile | $18.90 | $39,300 | $35,580 | $53,270 | 8,830 | 14.08 | 0.77 |
| 10 | Montana profile | $18.77 | $39,050 | $31,110 | $48,060 | 8,900 | 17.40 | 0.95 |
| 11 | New York profile | $18.76 | $39,030 | $34,130 | $56,850 | 146,140 | 15.09 | 0.83 |
| 12 | Maryland profile | $18.12 | $37,690 | $31,770 | $48,910 | 34,980 | 12.66 | 0.69 |
| 13 | Utah profile | $18.12 | $37,690 | $30,040 | $48,670 | 26,730 | 15.40 | 0.85 |
| 14 | Illinois profile | $18.11 | $37,680 | $31,460 | $49,040 | 109,240 | 17.91 | 0.98 |
| 15 | South Dakota profile | $18.10 | $37,650 | $27,730 | $46,020 | 11,460 | 25.05 | 1.37 |
| 16 | Massachusetts profile | $18.05 | $37,540 | $33,380 | $48,610 | 49,760 | 13.68 | 0.75 |
| 17 | Arizona profile | $18.03 | $37,500 | $31,550 | $55,430 | 57,510 | 17.75 | 0.97 |
| 18 | Delaware profile | $17.99 | $37,420 | $31,200 | $58,730 | 7,080 | 14.61 | 0.80 |
| 19 | Nevada profile | $17.97 | $37,380 | $29,420 | $49,470 | 31,270 | 20.15 | 1.11 |
| 20 | Idaho profile | $17.94 | $37,310 | $29,640 | $46,190 | 12,450 | 14.52 | 0.80 |
| 21 | New Jersey profile | $17.91 | $37,250 | $32,220 | $53,880 | 64,070 | 14.95 | 0.82 |
| 22 | Maine profile | $17.89 | $37,220 | $31,270 | $49,340 | 11,950 | 18.65 | 1.02 |
| 23 | Ohio profile | $17.85 | $37,130 | $28,770 | $48,770 | 129,760 | 23.38 | 1.28 |
| 24 | Vermont profile | $17.85 | $37,130 | $30,680 | $49,200 | 5,360 | 17.63 | 0.97 |
| 25 | Minnesota profile | $17.85 | $37,120 | $30,460 | $49,260 | 40,270 | 13.65 | 0.75 |
| 26 | Texas profile | $17.71 | $36,840 | $28,870 | $47,180 | 322,710 | 22.93 | 1.26 |
| 27 | Kentucky profile | $17.70 | $36,810 | $29,500 | $60,330 | 47,730 | 23.86 | 1.31 |
| 28 | North Dakota profile | $17.69 | $36,790 | $31,530 | $47,740 | 5,240 | 12.21 | 0.67 |
| 29 | New Hampshire profile | $17.68 | $36,780 | $29,810 | $48,650 | 14,400 | 21.08 | 1.16 |
| 30 | Missouri profile | $17.65 | $36,710 | $29,920 | $49,500 | 67,390 | 22.95 | 1.26 |
| 31 | Iowa profile | $17.62 | $36,640 | $28,450 | $50,110 | 26,770 | 17.17 | 0.94 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania profile | $17.62 | $36,640 | $28,040 | $48,530 | 119,840 | 19.76 | 1.08 |
| 33 | Rhode Island profile | $17.53 | $36,470 | $31,280 | $47,940 | 6,660 | 13.29 | 0.73 |
| 34 | Florida profile | $17.50 | $36,400 | $29,990 | $48,610 | 171,380 | 17.26 | 0.95 |
| 35 | Virginia profile | $17.49 | $36,380 | $29,470 | $48,620 | 69,660 | 16.95 | 0.93 |
| 36 | Indiana profile | $17.43 | $36,250 | $29,830 | $48,270 | 66,420 | 20.75 | 1.14 |
| 37 | Tennessee profile | $17.38 | $36,140 | $29,970 | $47,280 | 60,130 | 18.34 | 1.01 |
| 38 | South Carolina profile | $17.32 | $36,020 | $29,810 | $46,830 | 41,800 | 18.13 | 1.00 |
| 39 | North Carolina profile | $17.29 | $35,950 | $29,140 | $46,980 | 87,510 | 17.71 | 0.97 |
| 40 | Michigan profile | $17.27 | $35,930 | $30,070 | $47,900 | 82,730 | 18.79 | 1.03 |
| 41 | Nebraska profile | $17.27 | $35,920 | $29,220 | $46,170 | 17,980 | 17.55 | 0.96 |
| 42 | New Mexico profile | $17.22 | $35,830 | $29,540 | $51,170 | 16,540 | 18.99 | 1.04 |
| 43 | Georgia profile | $17.13 | $35,620 | $29,880 | $49,010 | 86,660 | 17.73 | 0.97 |
| 44 | Kansas profile | $17.04 | $35,450 | $28,560 | $47,260 | 26,750 | 18.61 | 1.02 |
| 45 | Wisconsin profile | $16.83 | $35,000 | $29,280 | $48,400 | 47,580 | 16.18 | 0.89 |
| 46 | Oklahoma profile | $16.72 | $34,790 | $28,440 | $47,150 | 32,910 | 19.27 | 1.06 |
| 47 | Arkansas profile | $16.68 | $34,700 | $28,710 | $46,370 | 28,350 | 21.75 | 1.19 |
| 48 | West Virginia profile | $16.59 | $34,510 | $27,550 | $44,510 | 12,520 | 17.84 | 0.98 |
| 49 | Louisiana profile | $16.58 | $34,490 | $27,950 | $47,660 | 31,710 | 16.39 | 0.90 |
| 50 | Alabama profile | $16.48 | $34,290 | $27,750 | $47,420 | 46,580 | 22.04 | 1.21 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $16.47 | $34,270 | $27,360 | $46,600 | 23,420 | 20.14 | 1.10 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (53-7060), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Transportation and Material Moving Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 53-7065 Stockers and Order Fillers.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 53-7065, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 53-7065.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.