Material Handling Manager Salary in the United States

How much does a Material Handling Manager make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Material Handling Manager in the United States is $75,951 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $37.

However, a Material Handling Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $95,971
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $67,789 to $86,430
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $60,358

Key Factors That Influence Material Handling Manager Salaries

A Material Handling Manager's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Material Handling Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Material Handling Manager's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $72,151
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $72,514
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $73,726
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $75,180
  • Expert (over 8 years): $77,800
Levels Salary
Entry Level Material Handling Manager$72,151
Intermediate Level Material Handling Manager$72,514
Senior Level Material Handling Manager$73,726
Specialist Level Material Handling Manager$75,180
Expert Level Material Handling Manager$77,800

How Do Material Handling Manager Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Material Handling Managers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $84,093.
  • California: $83,774.
  • Massachusetts: $82,657.

Top Paying Cities for Material Handling Managers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $95,796
  • San Francisco: $94,748
  • Oakland: $92,751

What Skills Can Increase a Material Handling Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 13.99% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • ISO (Mentioned in 2.6% Job Postings): The International Organization for Standardization is an international standard development organization composed of representatives from the national standards organizations of member countries.
  • Business Operations (Mentioned in 1.28% Job Postings): The outcome of business operations is the harvesting of value from assets owned by a business. Assets can be either physical or intangible. An example of value derived from a physical asset, like a building, is rent. An example of value derived from an intangible asset, like an idea, is a royalty. The effort involved in "harvesting" this value is what constitutes business operations cycles.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 13.99%
ISO 2.6%
Business Operations 1.28%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Material Handling Manager's salary.

  • Decision Making: Can increase your salary by up to 17%.
  • Presentation: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Decision Making $88,862
17%
Presentation $83,546
10%
Collaboration $82,786
9%

Material Handling Manager Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Material Handling Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Internet and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Material Handling Manager positions in Media or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Material Handling Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Material Handling Manager

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Internet$113,926$55.050%

How Education impacts a Material Handling Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Material Handling Managers enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Material Handling Manager with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $68,816 and $73,347).

Material Handling Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Material Handling Manager
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 2.4%
High School 53.6%
Associates 16.7%
Bachelors 25.0%
Masters 2.4%
Doctorate 0.0%

Material Handling Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Material Handling Manager's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$67,789
Average $75,951/year
$86,430
$5,649
Average $6,329/month
$7,203
$1,304
Average $1,461/week
$1,662
$33
Average $37/hour
$42
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $86,430 $7,203 $1,662 $42
Average $75,951 $6,329 $1,461 $37
25th Percentile $67,789 $5,649 $1,304 $33

Most common benefits for Material Handling Manager

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Material Handling Manager

Here are companies hiring for Material Handling Manager and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Material Handling Manager

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Material Handling Manager?

The Internet industry offers the highest average compensation for Material Handling Manager roles, with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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