Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Salary in Philadelphia, PA
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn a median $43,460 a year — 8% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $35,766 take-home, or $2,980 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand salary in Philadelphia, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,035
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,695
- Medicare (1.45%)$630
- Pennsylvania income tax$1,334
- Take-home pay$35,766
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Philadelphia? City residents also pay Philadelphia’s Resident Wage Tax — about $1,625 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $34,140 ($2,845 a month). Choose “Philadelphia” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro spans Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand pay by experience in Philadelphia, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $33,260 | $15.99 | $27,883 | $2,324 |
| 25th percentile | $37,190 | $17.88 | $30,920 | $2,577 |
| Median (50th) | $43,460 | $20.89 | $35,766 | $2,980 |
| 75th percentile | $47,890 | $23.02 | $39,189 | $3,266 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $56,700 | $27.26 | $45,998 | $3,833 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $43,460 buys in Philadelphia, PA
Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand's $35,766 take-home pay has the buying power of $34,875 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand jobs are about as common in Philadelphia, PA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.93).
Best-paying cities for laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand, adjusted for cost of living
Philadelphia, PA ranks #78 of 164 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waterloo, IA | $47,440 | $39,147 | $44,967 |
| 2 | Fargo, ND | $45,690 | $38,892 | $42,799 |
| 3 | Des Moines, IA | $46,370 | $38,328 | $41,797 |
| 4 | Louisville, KY | $46,830 | $38,286 | $41,135 |
| 5 | Chambersburg, PA | $47,540 | $38,919 | $41,122 |
| 6 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $43,300 | $35,978 | $40,441 |
| 7 | Youngstown, OH | $41,540 | $35,197 | $40,274 |
| 8 | Tyler, TX | $43,390 | $37,044 | $40,197 |
| 78 | Philadelphia, PA | $43,460 | $35,766 | $34,875 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 164 metros →
About the job: laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
Manually move freight, stock, luggage, or other materials, or perform other general labor.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +1.8% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand salaries elsewhere in Pennsylvania
- Chambersburg, PA — $47,540
- Reading, PA — $46,040
- Scranton, PA — $42,900
- York, PA — $43,380
- Pittsburgh, PA — $41,830
- Harrisburg, PA — $43,640
- Lancaster, PA — $42,440
- Allentown, PA — $42,380
Frequently asked questions
How much does a laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand make in Philadelphia, PA?
The median laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand salary in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $43,460 a year, or about $20.89 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $37,190 and $47,890.
What is a laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand’s take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA?
On the median $43,460 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $35,766 a year ($2,980 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,334 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Philadelphia, PA a good place to work as a laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand?
Pay here is 8% above the national median of $40,240. Local prices are 2.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $34,875 would in a typical U.S. city. Philadelphia, PA ranks #78 of 164 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand afford rent in Philadelphia, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Philadelphia, PA is $1,520 a month ($1,810 for two bedrooms) — 51% of a median laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Philadelphia, PA
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $62,820
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector — $59,730
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $59,370
- Bus Drivers, School — $51,960
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $49,260
- Light Truck Driver — $45,740
- Packers and Packagers, Hand — $43,970
- Driver/Sales Worker — $37,520
- Stocker and Order Filler — $36,800
- Shuttle Driver and Chauffeur — $36,760
- Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment — $35,160
- Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendant — $34,880