Prevailing Wage for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
The prevailing wage for Material Handler roles sets the minimum a U.S. employer must pay to sponsor a worker under H-1B, E-3, or green card processes. DOL establishes four experience-based wage levels for this occupation, ranging from entry-level Laborer positions through senior Loader and freight roles, and the floor varies substantially by worksite city.
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Level 1 covers entry-level Laborers and material movers with limited experience, typically no prior formal training in freight or stock handling, and who work under close supervision following specific task instructions. This level reflects roles with the narrowest scope of independent judgment.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for this occupation. It covers workers with some hands-on experience in freight, stock, or material handling who follow established procedures with moderate supervision and demonstrate consistent familiarity with standard warehouse or distribution workflows.
Level 3 applies to experienced Loaders and material handlers who work with significant independence, handle varied or complex freight tasks, and may informally guide newer workers. Employers filing at this level typically require several years of demonstrated occupational experience.
Level 4 reflects fully competent senior material handlers or lead laborers responsible for complex, high-volume operations, team coordination, or specialized equipment. These workers apply comprehensive occupational knowledge with minimal oversight and often set workplace standards for their crew.
Prevailing Wage for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Material Handler and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
Verify your worksite city before accepting an offer
Prevailing wages for material handler and loader roles swing sharply by location. Anchorage and San Francisco floor wages at Level 1 exceed the national Level 3 median, while Puerto Rico metros sit well below the national entry floor. Confirm the LCA lists your actual worksite, not headquarters.
Watch for agency staffing versus direct-hire filings
Many freight and warehouse employers sponsor through staffing agencies rather than direct hire. Agency-filed LCAs sometimes list a generic worksite or blended wage that may not reflect the actual distribution center location, which can affect which prevailing wage floor applies to your position.
Check how overtime and shift differentials are counted
Warehouse and freight roles frequently include overtime pay, shift premiums, and productivity bonuses. DOL's prevailing wage calculation covers the base rate only. Employers cannot use overtime earnings or variable shift pay to satisfy the prevailing wage floor on the LCA.
Search Migrate Mate for sponsored Material Handler listings
Material handler and laborer sponsorships are concentrated among a smaller set of employers with consistent LCA filing history. Migrate Mate shows which companies have sponsored this occupation before, so you can focus applications on employers already familiar with the process.
Jobs for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Material HandlerPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 53-7062.00 alongside Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Laborer Prevailing Wage
Laborer Prevailing Wage
Laborer positions fall under SOC 53-7062.00 (Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Loader Prevailing Wage
Loader Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Loader for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 53-7062.00 (Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Material Handler Prevailing Wage
Material Handler Prevailing Wage
Material Handler is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 53-7062.00 (Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Merchandise Pick Up Associate Prevailing Wage
Merchandise Pick Up Associate Prevailing Wage
Merchandise Pick Up Associate positions fall under SOC 53-7062.00 (Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Merchandise Receiving Associate Prevailing Wage
Merchandise Receiving Associate Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Merchandise Receiving Associate for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 53-7062.00 (Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Receiver Prevailing Wage
Receiver Prevailing Wage
Receiver is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 53-7062.00 (Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Receiving Associate Prevailing Wage
Receiving Associate Prevailing Wage
Receiving Associate positions fall under SOC 53-7062.00 (Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Shipping and Receiving Materials Handler Prevailing Wage
Shipping and Receiving Materials Handler Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Shipping and Receiving Materials Handler for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 53-7062.00 (Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Warehouse Worker Prevailing Wage
Warehouse Worker Prevailing Wage
Warehouse Worker is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 53-7062.00 (Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Material Handler roles?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from regional employer surveys. For material handler and laborer occupations, OFLC assigns a wage to each of four experience levels based on the distribution of wages reported for SOC 53-7062 in the specific geographic area where the work is performed.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify which applies to my offer?
Level 1 covers entry-level roles under close supervision. Level 2 applies to workers with moderate experience following established procedures, and is the level most commonly filed for this occupation. Level 3 reflects experienced, largely independent workers. Level 4 covers senior or lead roles with broad responsibility. Your employer selects the level based on your job duties and experience, and that choice appears on the certified LCA.
Why does the same Material Handler role pay so differently from city to city?
OFLC derives each area's prevailing wage from regional OES surveys, which capture actual wages paid in that labor market. Denser, higher-cost markets like San Francisco and Seattle report higher wages in the survey data, pushing the floor up. Immigration rules require the LCA to list the actual worksite location, so the wage floor follows the job site, not the employer's headquarters or home state.
What happens if a sponsored position pays below the prevailing wage floor?
An employer cannot certify an LCA unless the offered wage meets or exceeds the prevailing wage for the listed location and level. If the offer falls short, OFLC will not certify the LCA, which blocks the H-1B or PERM petition from proceeding. If a certified LCA later underpays the worker, DOL can recover back wages, impose civil penalties, and bar the employer from future sponsorships.
How can I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up current prevailing wages for SOC 53-7062 by metropolitan area or state. Select the occupation code, choose your worksite area, and review all four wage levels. You can also check recently certified LCAs in OFLC's public disclosure data to see what wages competing employers have filed for loader and material handler roles in that market. Migrate Mate surfaces employers with active sponsorship histories for this occupation, helping you identify which companies are actively filing.
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