Material Handling Technician Salary in the United States

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

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Material Handling Technician in the United States is $99,917 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $48.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $116,261
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $89,708 to $108,472
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $80,414
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View as table View as graph 25% $89,708 10% $80,414 90% $116,261 75% $108,472 $99,917 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Material Handling Technician Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $108,472 $9,039 $2,086 $52
Average $99,917 $8,326 $1,921 $48
25th Percentile $89,708 $7,476 $1,725 $43
Check out Material Handling Technician Job Openings in the United States
Customer Team Coordinator

ProLift Toyota Material Handling - Columbus, OH

Entry

ProLift Toyota Material Handling - Columbus, OH

Sales Rep

RMH Systems Inc. - Columbus, OH

Search More Material Handling Technician Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Material Handling Technician Salaries

A Material Handling Technician'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 Technician Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Material Handling Technician'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): $75,249
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $88,894
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $100,625
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $122,866
  • Expert (over 8 years): $150,287
Levels Salary
Materials... Level Material Handling Technician$75,249
Materials... Level Material Handling Technician$88,894
Material ... Level Material Handling Technician$100,625
Materials... Level Material Handling Technician$122,866
Materials... Level Material Handling Technician$150,287
$75,249 0 yr
$88,894 < 2 yrs
$100,625 2-4 yrs
$122,866 5-8 yrs
$150,287 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Material Handling Technician 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 Technicians. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $110,628.
  • California: $110,208.
  • Massachusetts: $108,739.

Top Paying Cities for Material Handling Technicians

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: $126,025
  • San Francisco: $124,645
  • Oakland: $122,018

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

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 17.04% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Test Plans (Mentioned in 2.25% Job Postings): A test plan is a document detailing the objectives, resources, and processes for a specific test for a software or hardware product. The plan typically contains a detailed understanding of the eventual workflow.
  • Continuous Improvement (Mentioned in 1.29% Job Postings): A continual improvement process, also often called a continuous improvement process (abbreviated as CIP or CI), is an ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once. Delivery (customer valued) processes are constantly evaluated and improved in the light of their efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility. Some see CIPs as a meta-process for most management systems (such as business process management, quality management, project management, and program management). W. Edwards Deming, a pioneer of the field, saw it as part of the 'system' whereby feedback from the process and customer were evaluated against organisational goals. The fact that it can be called a management process does not mean that it needs to be executed by 'management'; but rather merely that it makes decisions about the implementation of the delivery process and the design of the delivery process itself.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 17.04%
Test Plans 2.25%
Continuous Improvement 1.29%
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 Technician's salary.
  • Process Development: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Results Oriented: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Chemistry: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Process Development
$106,911
7%
Results Oriented
$106,911
7%
Chemistry
$104,912
5%
Welding
$104,912
5%
Test Plans
$104,912
5%
SEM
$104,912
5%
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Material Handling Technician Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Material Handling Technician roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 120% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Chemicals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 60% above the average. In contrast, Material Handling Technician positions in Aerospace & Defense or Business Services typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Material Handling Technician as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Material Handling Technician

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology$159,866$77.060%
Chemicals$149,875$72.050%
Retail & Wholesale$144,879$70.045%
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit$139,883$67.040%
Telecom$134,887$65.035%

How Education impacts a Material Handling Technician's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Material Handling Technicians enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree 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 Technician with a Bachelor's Degree is between $109,784 and $115,619).

Material Handling Technician Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Material Handling Technician
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.0%
High School 1.0%
Associates 1.0%
Bachelors 21.8%
Masters 31.7%
Doctorate 44.6%
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Material Handling Technician Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Material Handling Technician'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 August 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Material Handling Technician

Salaries for a Material Handling Technician can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $105,795 in 2023 to around $103,923 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Material Handling Technician salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Material Handling Technician Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$105,795
2024
$105,075
2025
$103,923
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $105,795
2024 $105,075
2025 $103,923
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Material Handling Technician

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Material Handling Technician

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

Find Your Next Material Handling Technician Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Material Handling Technician job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • eviCore healthcare

    Columbus, OH

    eviCore healthcare | Columbus, OH

    Provides timely expert medical review for requests to evaluate the medical necessity of services that do not meet utilization review criteria while located... more

    3 Days Ago

  • Alto Health Care Staffing

    Columbus, OH

    RN

    Alto Health Care Staffing | Columbus, OH

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    3 Days Ago

  • AMN Healthcare, Inc.

    Columbus, OH

    AMN Healthcare, Inc. | Columbus, OH

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    3 Days Ago

  • XPO

    Columbus, OH

    CDL

    XPO | Columbus, OH

    XPO is Hiring Driver Teams. XPO Teams. As an XPO Team, you’ll run dedicated routes between XPO facilities in. new sleeper. trucks equipped with microwaves ... more

    4 Days Ago

  • Schneider

    Columbus, OH

    Schneider | Columbus, OH

    CDL-A - Dedicated Reefer truck driver - Kroger. Dedicated Reefer truck driver - Kroger. Average pay. $1,200-$1,450 weekly. Home time. Daily. Experience. Al... more

    5 Days Ago

  • GO Staffing

    Columbus, OH

    GO Staffing | Columbus, OH

    Locums - A well respected group has a Trauma Surgery APP opportunity available in Columbus, Ohio. Certified Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant. 1/1/... more

    7 Days Ago

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FAQ about Material Handling Technician

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

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Material Handling Technician roles, with salaries approximately 60% 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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