How much does a Dock Worker make?

Updated Nov 27, 2023

Experience

Industry

Total Pay Range
$37K - $50K/yr
Base Pay
$35K - $47K/yr
Additional Pay
$2K - $3K/yr

$43K

/yr
$37K$50K
Most Likely Range

The estimated total pay for a Dock Worker is $42,795 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $40,526 per year. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated additional pay is $2,268 per year. Additional pay could include cash bonus, commission, tips, and profit sharing. The "Most Likely Range" represents values that exist within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role.

How accurate is this most likely Total Pay range (base + additional) of $37K-$50K/yr?

Total Pay Trajectory

For Dock Worker I

$46,570 /yr
Dock Worker I
$42,795 /yr
Dock Worker
$47,599 /yr
Dock Worker Supervisor
See Full Career Path

Download as data table

What is the total pay trajectory for Dock Worker I?

Job TitleSalary
Dock Worker I$46,570 /yr
Dock Worker$42,795 /yr
Dock Worker Supervisor$47,599 /yr

Top Paying Companies

For a Dock Worker in United States

Below is the total pay for the top 10 highest paying companies for a Dock Worker in United States. Employers include Ward Trucking, Dayton Freight and Caterpillar.

1
Ward Trucking
Ward Trucking
$46,815/yr
233 open jobs
4
Reddaway
$44,830/yr
8
YRC Worldwide
$43,631/yr
See pay for all companies for a Dock Worker in United StatesView data as table

Top Paying Companies

For Dock Worker in United States

1Ward Trucking$46,815
2Dayton Freight$45,409
3Caterpillar$45,230
4Reddaway$44,830
5BSP Trans$44,597
6Holland$43,863
7dempsey$43,806
8YRC Worldwide$43,631
9Yellow Freight$43,364
10Black Horse Carriers$42,890
Total Pay Trajectory

For Dock Worker I

$46,570 /yr
Dock Worker I
$42,795 /yr
Dock Worker
$47,599 /yr
Dock Worker Supervisor
See Full Career Path

Download as data table

What is the total pay trajectory for Dock Worker I?

Job TitleSalary
Dock Worker I$46,570 /yr
Dock Worker$42,795 /yr
Dock Worker Supervisor$47,599 /yr

What are total pay estimates for a Dock Worker at different companies?

or
Sort:
Company
Jobs
Total Pay Range
FedEx Freight
3.7
Dock WorkerSee 343 salaries from all locations

$20

 / hr
Old Dominion Freight
3.9
Dock WorkerSee 204 salaries from all locations

$20

 / hr
Saia LTL Freight
3.3
Dock WorkerSee 162 salaries from all locations

$20

 / hr
XPO
3.5
Dock WorkerSee 162 salaries from all locations

$20

 / hr
YRC Freight
2.9
Dock WorkerSee 161 salaries from all locations

$20

 / hr
Estes Express Lines
3.7
Dock WorkerSee 155 salaries from all locations

$20

 / hr
Dayton Freight
4.2
Dock WorkerSee 131 salaries from all locations

$22

 / hr

Is this salary info helpful?

Let’s pay it forward! The Glassdoor community relies on people like you to share accurate salary info to promote fair compensation everywhere

Share Salary Anonymously
UPS
3.5
Dock WorkerSee 130 salaries from all locations

$40,496

 / yr
Central Transport
3.1
Dock WorkerSee 95 salaries from all locations

$20

 / hr
Amazon
3.7
Dock WorkerSee 82 salaries from all locations

$18

 / hr
Dillard's
3.1
Dock WorkerSee 67 salaries from all locations

$18

 / hr
Averitt
3.9
Dock WorkerSee 58 salaries from all locations

$20

 / hr
Holland
3.2
Dock WorkerSee 56 salaries from all locations

$21

 / hr
ABF Freight
3.7
Dock WorkerSee 44 salaries from all locations

$20

 / hr
A. Duie Pyle
3.5
Dock WorkerSee 42 salaries from all locations

$19

 / hr
FedEx
3.7
Dock WorkerSee 35 salaries from all locations

$19

 / hr
Reddaway
3.1
Dock WorkerSee 35 salaries from all locations

$21

 / hr
R+L Carriers
3.4
Dock WorkerSee 30 salaries from all locations

$20

 / hr
Southeastern Freight Lines
4.1
Dock WorkerSee 29 salaries from all locations

$20

 / hr
Pitt Ohio Express
3.7
Dock WorkerSee 28 salaries from all locations

$19

 / hr
Download as data table

Dock Worker Salaries

Job TitleSalary
FedEx Freight Dock Worker salaries - 343 salaries reported$20/hr
Old Dominion Freight Dock Worker salaries - 204 salaries reported$20/hr
Saia LTL Freight Dock Worker salaries - 162 salaries reported$20/hr
XPO Dock Worker salaries - 162 salaries reported$20/hr
YRC Freight Dock Worker salaries - 161 salaries reported$20/hr
Estes Express Lines Dock Worker salaries - 155 salaries reported$20/hr
Dayton Freight Dock Worker salaries - 131 salaries reported$22/hr
UPS Dock Worker salaries - 130 salaries reported$40,496/yr
Central Transport Dock Worker salaries - 95 salaries reported$20/hr
Amazon Dock Worker salaries - 82 salaries reported$18/hr
Dillard's Dock Worker salaries - 67 salaries reported$18/hr
Averitt Dock Worker salaries - 58 salaries reported$20/hr
Holland Dock Worker salaries - 56 salaries reported$21/hr
ABF Freight Dock Worker salaries - 44 salaries reported$20/hr
A. Duie Pyle Dock Worker salaries - 42 salaries reported$19/hr
FedEx Dock Worker salaries - 35 salaries reported$19/hr
Reddaway Dock Worker salaries - 35 salaries reported$21/hr
R+L Carriers Dock Worker salaries - 30 salaries reported$20/hr
Southeastern Freight Lines Dock Worker salaries - 29 salaries reported$20/hr
Pitt Ohio Express Dock Worker salaries - 28 salaries reported$19/hr
Viewing 1 - 20 of 640

Top Paying Industries

For a Dock Worker in United States

The top 5 paying industries for a Dock Worker in United States are Manufacturing with a median total pay of $45,230, Personal Consumer Services with a median total pay of $43,806, Transportation & Logistics with a median total pay of $41,922, Agriculture with a median total pay of $40,892, and Information Technology with a median total pay of $40,028.

IndustryTotal PayTotal Pay Insight
  • ManufacturingManufacturing$45,230

    8% Higher than other industries

  • Personal Consumer ServicesPersonal Consumer Services$43,806

    5% Higher than other industries

  • Transportation & LogisticsTransportation & Logistics$41,922

    0% Lower than other industries

  • AgricultureAgriculture$40,892

    2% Lower than other industries

  • Information TechnologyInformation Technology$40,028

    4% Lower than other industries

Manufacturing

The top paying company in Manufacturing for Dock Worker is Caterpillar.

CaterpillarCaterpillar$45,230/yr

Dock Worker pay FAQ

The average salary for a Dock Worker is $42,795 per year in United States. Salaries estimates are based on 3231 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by a Dock Worker employees in United States.

The highest salary for a Dock Worker in United States is $50,290 per year.

The lowest salary for a Dock Worker in United States is $36,561 per year.

If you are thinking of becoming a Dock Worker or planning the next step in your career, find details about the role, the career path and salary trajectory of a Dock Worker.

Dock worker jobs provide accessible work to candidates without training, education, language, or interpersonal requirements. Pay for dock worker roles is relatively low, comparable to that of dishwashers, laborers or barbacks, but ample overtime opportunities usually exist. Dock workers can increase their salaries by moving into lead dock worker or dock manager positions.

Powered by Glassdoor Economic Research

Feedback from anonymous Glassdoor workers shows that 70% of dock workers are satisfied with their income. A dock worker salary is more likely to be satisfactory if it includes profit sharing and bonuses totaling around $2,268.28, and employees with forklift qualifications and in-demand skills tend to earn more.

Your employment history and skill set can significantly impact your salary as a dock worker, and understanding dock worker career paths can help you determine a fair compensation package. While a typical dock worker salary is around $40,526.26, bonuses and tips can increase this figure to around $42,794.54. You can expect to earn somewhere between $31,759.00 and $58,099.52 in total.

Most companies hiring dock workers require a high school diploma or GED. However, obtaining desirable certifications can help you progress to senior positions more quickly and achieve a higher dock worker salary. Requirements and in-demand skills vary by industry, so it's worth checking out job adverts in your sector to determine what employers look for.

However, there are certain qualifications that will likely help your career progression in any role. Obtaining a Commercial Driver License (CDL), forklift certification, and OSHA safety certification can all make you more appealing to employers. It's also worth considering gaining Hazmat endorsement and a Class 3 driver's license.

Whether you're starting a new dock worker job or are unhappy with your current income, there are some effective ways to negotiate a higher salary. Before meeting a new employer, learn what questions you may face in a dock worker interview to help you make a great first impression.

When negotiating a better salary, provide concrete examples to illustrate your value to the company. For instance, you could describe how your skills helped you reduce errors, improve safety, or meet demanding timeframes — ideally with statistics to prove your points. If your employer can't accommodate your request, consider asking for higher attendance and performance bonuses or an improved benefits package.

Additional Resources

Dock Worker Job Description Template

Salaries

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