Warehouse Jobs: Typical Pay, Shifts and How to Apply

About 2.95 million people in the US work as hand laborers and freight movers. Another 2.83 million work as stockers and order fillers. Those are the two largest groups of warehouse workers counted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and most of them started without a degree.

BLS says there are usually no formal education requirements for these jobs, and most people learn through on-the-job training that lasts a month or less. It is a fast way into a steady paycheck. It is also hard on the body. Here is what the jobs pay, how the shifts run, how safe the work is and how to apply without falling for a fake listing.

The main warehouse jobs, in plain terms

Titles vary by company. These are the common ones, matched to the BLS category that tracks their pay.

• Picker or order filler: pulls items from shelves for customer or store orders, usually with a handheld scanner. BLS counts this work under stockers and order fillers.
• Packer: checks, wraps, boxes and labels orders. BLS tracks this as packers and packagers, hand.
• Material handler or loader: unloads trucks, moves freight and stages pallets. BLS calls this laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand.
• Forklift operator: moves pallets with a sit-down, stand-up or reach truck. BLS tracks this as industrial truck and tractor operators.
• Shipping, receiving or inventory clerk: checks incoming and outgoing shipments against paperwork, runs cycle counts and keeps stock records. This role involves more computer work and less lifting.

Warehouse pay per hour: what the BLS data shows

The table below uses national figures from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2025, the latest available. The median is the midpoint: half of workers earn more, half earn less. These figures cover every industry, not just warehouses.

Two patterns stand out. At the median, driving a forklift pays about $4 to $5 an hour more than picking or packing. And where you stock shelves matters: inside the warehousing and storage industry itself, BLS puts the 2025 median for stockers and order fillers at $21.49 an hour, well above the $17.95 figure for the occupation across all industries. A distribution center job often pays more than the same title in a store.

Warehouse pay by state

Pay varies a lot by location, and by experience within any one location. Here are May 2025 state medians for three common roles in ten large states.

A worked example shows what the gap means in practice. A forklift operator in Washington earning the state median of $24.00 an hour makes $960 for a 40-hour week before taxes. A stocker in Georgia at the state median of $17.13 makes about $685 for the same week. That is a difference of roughly $275 a week, before any overtime.

Benefits: health insurance and 401(k) access

Hourly pay is only part of the offer. In March 2026, BLS found that 75% of private-industry workers in transportation and material moving jobs had access to employer medical plans, and 80% had access to a retirement plan such as a 401(k). Part-time status changes the picture sharply: only 23% of part-time private-industry workers had access to medical benefits. If health insurance matters to you, ask before you accept whether the role is full time and when coverage starts.

Shifts: nights, weekends and overtime

Warehouses ship around the clock, so shift work is normal. BLS notes that schedules for hand laborers may include nights and weekends, and that some material moving machine operators work overnight shifts and more than 40 hours a week. In August 2026, production and nonsupervisory staff in warehousing averaged 40.7 hours a week, according to preliminary BLS data.

Postings usually describe shifts in one of these ways:

• First, second or third shift (day, evening, overnight), usually five 8-hour days.
• Four 10-hour days, which gives you three days off but longer shifts.
• Weekend-only shifts, for example three 12-hour days from Friday to Sunday.
• Seasonal peak shifts, which may end without a permanent offer.

Two federal rules are worth knowing. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), covered non-exempt workers must get at least time and one-half their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. But the FLSA does not require extra pay for night work. A shift differential is a matter of agreement between you and the employer, so check the posting or ask. Some states add their own overtime rules.

Physical demands and OSHA safety rules

This is the part many listings gloss over. OSHA says the most frequent warehouse injuries are musculoskeletal disorders, mainly from overexertion in lifting and lowering, and being struck by powered industrial trucks such as forklifts.

The numbers back that up. In 2024, warehousing and storage recorded 4.8 injury and illness cases per 100 full-time workers. The rate for all private industry was 2.3. BLS also lists hand laborers and freight movers among the occupations with some of the highest injury and illness rates.

Ask these questions before you accept an offer:

• What is the heaviest item I will lift, and how often?
• Is there a pick rate or quota, and how is it measured?
• What safety training do I get in the first week, and in what language?
• Who provides safety boots, gloves and other protective gear?

Some states regulate quotas directly. California's warehouse quota law (AB 701), in effect since January 1, 2022, covers employers with 100 or more employees at one warehouse distribution center or 1,000 or more across the state. Covered employers must give workers a written description of each quota, and quotas cannot stop you from taking meal and rest breaks or using the bathroom.

Federal law also protects you. OSHA says you have the right to a workplace free from known hazards, to safety training in a language you understand and to file a confidential complaint. It is illegal for an employer to retaliate against you for complaining to OSHA. If that happens, you generally have 30 days to file a whistleblower complaint.

Forklift certification: cost, OSHA training and where to get it

Forklift skills are the clearest route to higher warehouse pay, so it pays to understand how certification actually works. OSHA's standard for powered industrial trucks (29 CFR 1910.178) puts the duty on the employer. Training must combine formal instruction, hands-on practice and an evaluation of the operator in the workplace. The employer must certify that each operator was trained and evaluated, and must re-evaluate every operator at least once every three years. OSHA also states that it is a violation of federal law for anyone under 18 to operate a forklift.

What that means for you: a certificate from a course is useful on a resume, but your new employer will still need to train and evaluate you on its own equipment. Be careful with websites that sell an online-only "OSHA forklift license." OSHA's rule requires practical training and a hands-on evaluation, which a video course alone cannot provide.

What a forklift course costs

Prices vary by school and length. Two real examples from community college workforce programs:

Because OSHA makes the employer responsible for training and evaluation, many employers run forklift training themselves after hiring. If you are already working as a picker or loader, ask your supervisor how internal forklift training works. It is often the cheapest path. Your local American Job Center can also point you to training programs in your area. Some of its services have eligibility requirements.

How to find warehouse jobs near me and apply

If you only do one thing, apply on the employer's own careers page rather than through a link someone sent you. Big retailers and logistics companies list their warehouse openings on their own websites.

• Employer career pages: search the company name plus "careers" and confirm the web address before you enter personal details.
• American Job Centers: the Labor Department says there are about 2,300 across the country. They help with job search, referrals and training. Find one through CareerOneStop or by calling 1-877-US-2JOBS.
• Your state's job bank: many states run a free job board through their workforce agency.
• USAJOBS: the federal government's official job site lists federal warehouse and materials handling jobs.
• Staffing agencies: a common way in, covered below.

Staffing agency jobs: pros and cons

Staffing firms are a big part of warehouse hiring. The American Staffing Association says nearly 2.2 million temporary and contract employees worked for US staffing companies in an average week in 2024, and 36% of staffing jobs are industrial roles such as warehouse and manufacturing work.

The upside is speed, and some assignments convert to permanent jobs. The trade-offs: less certainty about hours, benefits that may differ from the client company's, and assignments that can end with little notice. Ask who your legal employer is, when you will be paid and whether the role is temp-to-hire.

Resume tips for warehouse roles

• List equipment you have used: RF scanners, pallet jacks, reach trucks, label printers.
• Mention safety or attendance recognition if you have it.
• State your shift availability clearly, including nights and weekends if you can work them.
• Add any forklift training with the date and provider.

Red flags: warehouse job scams

Scammers copy real job titles, including warehouse and "package handler" roles. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is blunt: honest employers will never ask you to pay to get a job. Watch for these signs:

• You are asked to pay for training, a certificate, equipment or a background check before an offer.
• You receive a check and are told to deposit it and send part of the money back. The FTC warns that no honest employer does this.
• The "job" is receiving packages at home and reshipping them. The FTC says these packages often contain stolen goods, and this is not real employment.
• The interview happens only by text or chat app, and you are asked for bank details or your Social Security number before a written offer.
• The pay is far above the ranges in the tables above for no experience.

Search the company name plus "scam" or "complaint" before sharing anything. If you spot a fake job, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or to your state attorney general.

Pay, shifts and benefits differ by employer, state and experience, so treat the figures here as a starting point and confirm every detail in writing before your first day.

Sources

• BLS OEWS May 2025 national estimates, laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand (53-7062), via BLS Public Data API (api.bls.gov), accessed 2026-10-14
• BLS OEWS May 2025 national estimates, stockers and order fillers (53-7065), via BLS Public Data API (api.bls.gov), accessed 2026-10-14
• BLS OEWS May 2025 national estimates, packers and packagers, hand (53-7064), via BLS Public Data API (api.bls.gov), accessed 2026-10-14
• BLS OEWS May 2025 national estimates, industrial truck and tractor operators (53-7051), via BLS Public Data API (api.bls.gov), accessed 2026-10-14
• BLS OEWS May 2025 national estimates, shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks (43-5071), via BLS Public Data API (api.bls.gov), accessed 2026-10-14
• BLS OEWS May 2025 state estimates (series OEUS{state}00000000000{occupation}08), via BLS Public Data API; example: California, 53-7062 (api.bls.gov), accessed 2026-10-14
• BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Hand Laborers and Material Movers (bls.gov), accessed 2026-10-14
• BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Material Moving Machine Operators (bls.gov), accessed 2026-10-14
• BLS Industries at a Glance: Warehousing and Storage (NAICS 493) (bls.gov), accessed 2026-10-14
• BLS Employer-Reported Workplace Injuries and Illnesses, 2024 (news release) (bls.gov), accessed 2026-10-14
• BLS Employee Benefits, March 2026, Table 2: Medical care benefits (bls.gov), accessed 2026-10-14
• BLS Employee Benefits, March 2026, Table 1: Retirement benefits (bls.gov), accessed 2026-10-14
• OSHA: Warehousing (osha.gov), accessed 2026-10-14
• OSHA: Powered Industrial Trucks (Forklifts) (osha.gov), accessed 2026-10-14
• OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.178, Powered industrial trucks (osha.gov), accessed 2026-10-14
• OSHA: Workers' rights (osha.gov), accessed 2026-10-14
• U.S. Department of Labor: Overtime Pay (dol.gov), accessed 2026-10-14
• U.S. Department of Labor: Night Work (dol.gov), accessed 2026-10-14
• Seyfarth California Workplace Law Blog: Labor Commissioner FAQ for warehouse quota law (AB 701) (californiaworkplacelawblog.com), accessed 2026-10-14
• Pearl River Community College: Forklift workforce training (prcc.edu), accessed 2026-10-14
• Nunez Community College: Forklift Operator course (nunez.edu), accessed 2026-10-14
• U.S. Department of Labor ETA: American Job Centers (dol.gov), accessed 2026-10-14
• American Staffing Association: Staffing Industry Statistics (americanstaffing.net), accessed 2026-10-14
• FTC Consumer Advice: Job Scams (consumer.ftc.gov), accessed 2026-10-14
• USAJOBS (usajobs.gov), accessed 2026-10-14