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Pilots and air traffic controllers were highest paid transportation workers in May 2018
May 30, 2019
Transportation and material moving occupations had employment of 10.2 million in May 2018, representing 7.1 percent of total U.S. employment. The largest transportation and material moving occupation was laborers and hand freight, stock, and material movers, with employment of 2.9 million. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (1.8 million), light truck or delivery services drivers (915,310), and hand packers and packagers (663,970) also were among the largest transportation and material moving occupations.
Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators
46,090
48,680
Loading machine operators, underground mining
2,500
51,450
Hoist and winch operators
3,180
56,390
Industrial truck and tractor operators
604,130
36,480
Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
378,850
26,900
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
2,893,180
30,890
Machine feeders and offbearers
66,380
31,710
Packers and packagers, hand
663,970
26,490
Gas compressor and gas pumping station operators
3,460
62,900
Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers
10,820
47,510
Wellhead pumpers
13,280
53,870
Refuse and recyclable material collectors
118,520
40,560
Mine shuttle car operators
1,690
56,150
Tank car, truck, and ship loaders
9,000
42,330
Material moving workers, all other
27,010
35,000
The smallest transportation and material moving occupations were locomotive firers (560), dredge operators (1,190), and mine shuttle car operators (1,690).
Transportation and material moving occupations had an annual mean wage of $38,290, below the U.S. average of $51,960 for all occupations combined. Several of the highest paying transportation and material moving occupations were related to air or water transportation, including airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers ($169,560); air traffic controllers ($120,830); commercial pilots ($96,530); captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels ($82,380); and ship engineers ($75,710).
Parking lot attendants ($25,130), automotive and watercraft service attendants ($25,940), hand packers and packagers ($26,490), and cleaners of vehicles and equipment ($26,900) were the lowest paying transportation and material moving occupations.
United States Department of Labor
