Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018
53-0000 Transportation and Material Moving Occupations (Major Group)
This major group comprises the following occupations:
Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors ;
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors ;
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers ;
Commercial Pilots ;
Air Traffic Controllers ;
Airfield Operations Specialists ;
Flight Attendants ;
Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians ;
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity ;
Bus Drivers, School or Special Client ;
Driver/Sales Workers ;
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers ;
Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers ;
Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs ;
Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other ;
Locomotive Engineers ;
Locomotive Firers ;
Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers ;
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators ;
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters ;
Subway and Streetcar Operators ;
Rail Transportation Workers, All Other ;
Sailors and Marine Oilers ;
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels ;
Motorboat Operators ;
Ship Engineers ;
Bridge and Lock Tenders ;
Parking Lot Attendants ;
Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants ;
Traffic Technicians ;
Transportation Inspectors ;
Transportation Attendants, Except Flight Attendants ;
Transportation Workers, All Other ;
Conveyor Operators and Tenders ;
Crane and Tower Operators ;
Dredge Operators ;
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators ;
Loading Machine Operators, Underground Mining ;
Hoist and Winch Operators ;
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators ;
Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment ;
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand ;
Machine Feeders and Offbearers ;
Packers and Packagers, Hand ;
Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators ;
Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers ;
Wellhead Pumpers ;
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors ;
Mine Shuttle Car Operators ;
Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders ;
Material Moving Workers, All Other
National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation
National estimates for this occupation: Top
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this major group:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 10,244,260 |
0.3 % |
$18.41 |
$38,290 |
0.4 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this major group:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$9.94 |
$11.87 |
$15.74 |
$21.96 |
$29.75 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$20,670 |
$24,700 |
$32,730 |
$45,670 |
$61,870 |
Industry profile for this occupation: Top
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Truck Transportation |
1,122,020 |
75.97 |
$21.62 |
$44,970 |
| Employment Services |
890,660 |
24.32 |
$13.45 |
$27,980 |
| Warehousing and Storage |
725,670 |
63.34 |
$17.70 |
$36,810 |
| Couriers and Express Delivery Services |
535,310 |
85.55 |
$20.29 |
$42,200 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) |
385,920 |
39.30 |
$18.60 |
$38,690 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Couriers and Express Delivery Services |
535,310 |
85.55 |
$20.29 |
$42,200 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
171,250 |
79.20 |
$17.23 |
$35,830 |
| Inland Water Transportation |
20,070 |
77.21 |
$31.59 |
$65,700 |
| Charter Bus Industry |
22,560 |
76.68 |
$16.21 |
$33,710 |
| Other Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation |
80,520 |
76.52 |
$15.13 |
$31,470 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) |
50,350 |
2.51 |
$43.60 |
$90,690 |
| Scheduled Air Transportation |
266,950 |
58.84 |
$41.90 |
$87,160 |
| Nonscheduled Air Transportation |
20,190 |
44.80 |
$38.56 |
$80,210 |
| Technical and Trade Schools |
5,470 |
4.06 |
$37.92 |
$78,880 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
1,830 |
1.67 |
$33.32 |
$69,310 |
Geographic profile for this occupation: Top
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| California |
1,160,680 |
68.24 |
0.96 |
$19.01 |
$39,530 |
| Texas |
865,690 |
71.46 |
1.01 |
$19.12 |
$39,770 |
| Florida |
544,380 |
63.24 |
0.89 |
$17.60 |
$36,600 |
| New York |
515,160 |
54.89 |
0.78 |
$20.66 |
$42,960 |
| Illinois |
499,650 |
83.40 |
1.18 |
$19.02 |
$39,560 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Kentucky |
180,490 |
95.50 |
1.35 |
$17.79 |
$37,000 |
| Tennessee |
277,290 |
93.78 |
1.32 |
$16.83 |
$35,010 |
| New Jersey |
379,840 |
93.78 |
1.32 |
$18.30 |
$38,070 |
| Mississippi |
99,780 |
88.78 |
1.25 |
$16.01 |
$33,290 |
| Indiana |
269,730 |
88.49 |
1.25 |
$17.34 |
$36,080 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Alaska |
22,570 |
71.58 |
1.01 |
$28.52 |
$59,320 |
| District of Columbia |
15,630 |
21.95 |
0.31 |
$22.92 |
$47,670 |
| Hawaii |
42,020 |
65.47 |
0.92 |
$22.81 |
$47,450 |
| Wyoming |
22,070 |
81.95 |
1.16 |
$22.17 |
$46,110 |
| North Dakota |
33,930 |
81.45 |
1.15 |
$21.77 |
$45,270 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
619,870 |
65.26 |
0.92 |
$20.42 |
$42,470 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
423,190 |
69.16 |
0.98 |
$18.95 |
$39,420 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
392,040 |
84.46 |
1.19 |
$19.26 |
$40,070 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
288,010 |
80.72 |
1.14 |
$20.82 |
$43,310 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA |
234,400 |
87.37 |
1.23 |
$18.05 |
$37,550 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
212,400 |
71.22 |
1.01 |
$19.66 |
$40,890 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
193,070 |
67.77 |
0.96 |
$18.02 |
$37,480 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL |
180,710 |
69.77 |
0.99 |
$19.44 |
$40,440 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA |
166,670 |
111.62 |
1.58 |
$18.03 |
$37,500 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA |
142,310 |
71.72 |
1.01 |
$23.17 |
$48,200 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA |
8,550 |
147.89 |
2.09 |
$17.91 |
$37,250 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR |
91,180 |
146.33 |
2.07 |
$16.75 |
$34,830 |
| Houma-Thibodaux, LA |
11,630 |
137.87 |
1.95 |
$25.24 |
$52,490 |
| Dalton, GA |
8,860 |
137.18 |
1.94 |
$14.22 |
$29,580 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA |
33,170 |
134.40 |
1.90 |
$19.69 |
$40,940 |
| Lebanon, PA |
6,460 |
130.70 |
1.85 |
$15.39 |
$32,020 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA |
30,740 |
118.36 |
1.67 |
$16.86 |
$35,080 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD |
9,770 |
115.87 |
1.64 |
$17.59 |
$36,590 |
| Danville, IL |
3,070 |
115.38 |
1.63 |
$17.97 |
$37,380 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ |
41,740 |
114.92 |
1.62 |
$17.33 |
$36,050 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Anchorage, AK |
12,180 |
70.88 |
1.00 |
$30.97 |
$64,420 |
| Fairbanks, AK |
2,250 |
63.49 |
0.90 |
$25.77 |
$53,610 |
| Houma-Thibodaux, LA |
11,630 |
137.87 |
1.95 |
$25.24 |
$52,490 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI |
30,770 |
65.98 |
0.93 |
$24.29 |
$50,530 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA |
142,310 |
71.72 |
1.01 |
$23.17 |
$48,200 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
140,300 |
58.00 |
0.82 |
$22.87 |
$47,560 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO |
91,080 |
61.62 |
0.87 |
$21.77 |
$45,290 |
| Midland, TX |
10,270 |
101.07 |
1.43 |
$21.50 |
$44,710 |
| Barnstable Town, MA |
5,160 |
49.86 |
0.70 |
$21.47 |
$44,650 |
| Casper, WY |
2,850 |
74.48 |
1.05 |
$21.06 |
$43,810 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area |
28,460 |
72.53 |
1.02 |
$17.35 |
$36,090 |
| North Northeastern Ohio non-metropolitan area (non-contiguous) |
26,260 |
78.44 |
1.11 |
$16.94 |
$35,240 |
| West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area |
25,380 |
98.59 |
1.39 |
$18.26 |
$37,980 |
| Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area |
22,720 |
83.49 |
1.18 |
$16.31 |
$33,910 |
| Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area |
22,310 |
86.13 |
1.22 |
$15.13 |
$31,460 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area |
19,150 |
112.11 |
1.58 |
$15.37 |
$31,970 |
| Southwest Mississippi nonmetropolitan area |
7,970 |
111.12 |
1.57 |
$19.56 |
$40,680 |
| Northwest Mississippi nonmetropolitan area |
10,540 |
109.61 |
1.55 |
$14.86 |
$30,910 |
| Southern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area |
20,720 |
108.83 |
1.54 |
$16.73 |
$34,800 |
| Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area |
7,580 |
107.91 |
1.52 |
$16.61 |
$34,540 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Alaska nonmetropolitan area |
7,850 |
73.94 |
1.04 |
$25.47 |
$52,980 |
| West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area |
12,730 |
105.05 |
1.48 |
$24.96 |
$51,910 |
| Nevada nonmetropolitan area |
6,690 |
69.49 |
0.98 |
$22.07 |
$45,910 |
| Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area |
7,170 |
72.51 |
1.02 |
$21.94 |
$45,640 |
| East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area |
4,770 |
72.77 |
1.03 |
$21.32 |
$44,350 |
About May 2018 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall.
The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median.
More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours;
for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration.
A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OES estimates and related information:
May 2018 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2018 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2018 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2018 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2018 Occupation Profiles
Technical Notes
Last Modified Date: March 29, 2019
United States Department of Labor
