Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Salary in San Diego, CA
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median $43,320 a year — 8% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $35,702 take-home, or $2,975 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand salary in San Diego, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,018
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,686
- Medicare (1.45%)$628
- California income tax$722
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$563
- Take-home pay$35,702
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state
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 San Diego, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,420 | $17.51 | $30,524 | $2,544 |
| 25th percentile | $37,740 | $18.14 | $31,515 | $2,626 |
| Median (50th) | $43,320 | $20.83 | $35,702 | $2,975 |
| 75th percentile | $47,550 | $22.86 | $38,866 | $3,239 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $57,980 | $27.88 | $46,485 | $3,874 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $43,320 buys in San Diego, CA
Prices in San Diego, CA are 11.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.79× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand's $35,702 take-home pay has the buying power of $31,909 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 less concentrated in San Diego, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.75), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand, adjusted for cost of living
San Diego, CA ranks #153 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 |
| 153 | San Diego, CA | $43,320 | $35,702 | $31,909 |
*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 California
- Bakersfield, CA — $46,890
- Stockton, CA — $47,330
- Modesto, CA — $46,630
- Riverside, CA — $46,060
- Santa Rosa, CA — $46,640
- Sacramento, CA — $45,930
- San Jose, CA — $47,060
- Vallejo, CA — $45,660
Frequently asked questions
How much does a laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand make in San Diego, CA?
The median laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand salary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $43,320 a year, or about $20.83 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $37,740 and $47,550.
What is a laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand’s take-home pay in San Diego, CA?
On the median $43,320 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $35,702 a year ($2,975 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,285 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Diego, CA 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 11.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $31,909 would in a typical U.S. city. San Diego, CA ranks #153 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 San Diego, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Diego, CA is $2,459 a month ($3,001 for two bedrooms) — 83% 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 San Diego, CA
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $60,590
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $59,780
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $46,370
- Light Truck Driver — $45,670
- Shuttle Driver and Chauffeur — $43,670
- Stocker and Order Filler — $39,160
- Parking Attendant — $37,960
- Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment — $37,120
- Packers and Packagers, Hand — $36,890