Material Movers, Hand vs Heavy Truck Drivers
Median pay is about $18k higher for Heavy Truck Drivers. The usual entry education is no formal credential for Material Movers, Hand and postsecondary plus CDL for Heavy Truck Drivers.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Material Movers, Hand | Heavy Truck Drivers |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $40,240 | $58,640, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $36,090 | $47,960, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $46,920 | $69,120, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +1.8% Growing | +3.8% Growing, higher |
| Openings a year | 340,500 | 214,500 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | No formal credential | Postsecondary plus CDL |
| Difficulty modeled | 1.6 / 5 | 2.2 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Low | Moderate |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 1st pct | 54th pct |
Skills
Both lean on the same top skills: active listening, monitoring, speaking, reading comprehension, critical thinking, writing.
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.