Laborers and Material Movers
SOC 53-7060
The median annual wage for Laborers and Material Movers is $36,720, based on BLS OEWS 2023 data. The mean annual wage is $38,400, and an estimated 6,935,980 workers are employed in this occupation nationally. Between 2020 and 2023, pay rose +22.8% while consumer prices rose 17.7% — a real change of +4.3% after inflation.
Wage Trend & Inflation Adjustment
How the national median wage for Laborers and Material Movers has moved across BLS OEWS release years, and what each year's wage is worth in 2023 dollars after adjusting for CPI inflation. "Real" change strips out inflation — the truest measure of whether pay is actually rising.
| Year | Median (nominal) | In 2023 $ (real) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $36,720 | $36,720 | 6,935,980 |
| 2022 | $34,880 | $36,316 | 6,840,530 |
| 2021 | $30,320 | $34,094 | 6,178,560 |
| 2020 | $29,910 | $35,213 | 6,021,330 |
Nominal change
+22.8%
Inflation (CPI)
+17.7%
Real change
+4.3%
Wage Distribution (National, 2023)
10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages from BLS OEWS — the full spread, not just an average.
10th Pct
$28,810
25th Pct
$32,410
Median
$36,720
75th Pct
$42,960
90th Pct
$49,260
Related Occupations in Transportation & Material Moving
Other occupations in the same SOC major group, ranked by national median wage.