Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
SOC major group 53-0000: 50 detailed occupations, 50 with a published national median (May 2025). The group employs 13,677,150 people nationally.
The group as a whole
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $14.93 | $17.45 | $21.32 | $26.92 | $34.83 | $23.96 | 13,677,150 |
| Annual | $31,060 | $36,290 | $44,350 | $55,990 | $72,440 | $49,850 | ||
Every occupation in the group, by median annual wage
| Occupation | SOC | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 53-2011 | * | $232,140 | $288,650 | 103,560 |
| Air Traffic Controllers | 53-2021 | $71.19 | $148,080 | $146,490 | 22,510 |
| Commercial Pilots | 53-2012 | * | $123,220 | $146,080 | 47,630 |
| Ship Engineers | 53-5031 | $52.66 | $109,530 | $111,790 | 8,400 |
| Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels | 53-5021 | $44.45 | $92,460 | $103,720 | 36,850 |
| Transportation Inspectors | 53-6051 | $44.28 | $92,100 | $88,540 | 24,500 |
| Subway and Streetcar Operators | 53-4041 | $41.53 | $86,380 | $77,170 | 10,200 |
| Locomotive Engineers | 53-4011 | $39.14 | $81,410 | $85,900 | 33,470 |
| Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters | 53-4031 | $37.50 | $78,000 | $79,100 | 46,440 |
| Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators | 53-7071 | $37.17 | $77,320 | $74,610 | 3,510 |
| Wellhead Pumpers | 53-7073 | $33.63 | $69,960 | $70,370 | 17,990 |
| Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers | 53-4022 | $33.10 | $68,840 | $69,030 | 12,400 |
| Crane and Tower Operators | 53-7021 | $32.73 | $68,080 | $72,130 | 42,890 |
| Flight Attendants | 53-2031 | * | $63,580 | $77,440 | 131,650 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | 53-1047 | $30.23 | $62,890 | $66,860 | 623,640 |
| Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers | 53-7072 | $29.70 | $61,770 | $63,960 | 9,780 |
| Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers | 53-4013 | $29.14 | $60,600 | $68,450 | 3,920 |
| Traffic Technicians | 53-6041 | $28.41 | $59,090 | $62,050 | 7,860 |
| Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity | 53-3052 | $28.39 | $59,050 | $60,280 | 159,240 |
| Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders | 53-7121 | $28.30 | $58,870 | $59,970 | 10,700 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 53-3032 | $28.19 | $58,640 | $59,710 | 2,062,040 |
| Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | 53-1041 | $27.97 | $58,170 | $65,010 | 9,760 |
| Bridge and Lock Tenders | 53-6011 | $27.74 | $57,700 | $55,370 | 3,040 |
| Airfield Operations Specialists | 53-2022 | $27.33 | $56,850 | $63,610 | 15,190 |
| Hoist and Winch Operators | 53-7041 | $27.14 | $56,450 | $67,710 | 2,600 |
| Rail Transportation Workers, All Other | 53-4099 | $27.10 | $56,360 | $60,140 | 1,120 |
| Sailors and Marine Oilers | 53-5011 | $24.77 | $51,520 | $56,830 | 31,670 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors | 53-7081 | $23.89 | $49,690 | $52,820 | 147,240 |
| Dredge Operators | 53-7031 | $23.86 | $49,640 | $56,120 | 1,040 |
| Bus Drivers, School | 53-3051 | $23.04 | $47,920 | $48,430 | 402,930 |
| Motorboat Operators | 53-5022 | $22.85 | $47,520 | $56,270 | 2,480 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 53-7051 | $22.32 | $46,420 | $48,370 | 774,420 |
| Transportation Workers, All Other | 53-6099 | $21.95 | $45,650 | $50,890 | 13,550 |
| Light Truck Drivers | 53-3033 | $21.57 | $44,860 | $48,770 | 983,300 |
| Conveyor Operators and Tenders | 53-7011 | $20.39 | $42,420 | $45,080 | 22,930 |
| Taxi Drivers | 53-3054 | $20.24 | $42,100 | $49,930 | 41,050 |
| Material Moving Workers, All Other | 53-7199 | $20.10 | $41,800 | $45,640 | 23,480 |
| Machine Feeders and Offbearers | 53-7063 | $19.82 | $41,220 | $43,660 | 42,330 |
| Aircraft Service Attendants | 53-6032 | $19.45 | $40,450 | $43,330 | 31,300 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 53-7062 | $19.35 | $40,240 | $42,260 | 2,950,280 |
| Driver/Sales Workers | 53-3031 | $18.64 | $38,770 | $40,730 | 409,180 |
| Passenger Attendants | 53-6061 | $18.14 | $37,720 | $37,820 | 27,110 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 53-7065 | $17.95 | $37,330 | $39,540 | 2,833,810 |
| Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs | 53-3053 | $17.93 | $37,290 | $39,880 | 248,530 |
| Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other | 53-3099 | $17.87 | $37,180 | $42,430 | 46,880 |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | 53-7064 | $17.44 | $36,280 | $37,540 | 559,820 |
| Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | 53-7061 | $17.23 | $35,830 | $36,980 | 380,430 |
| Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants | 53-6031 | $17.15 | $35,670 | $36,780 | 102,010 |
| Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians | 53-3011 | $17.04 | $35,450 | $36,210 | 12,630 |
| Parking Attendants | 53-6021 | $16.90 | $35,150 | $34,990 | 137,880 |
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: National OEWS estimates.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- 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.