Reading, PA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a laborer or material mover make in Reading, PA?

In the Reading, PA metropolitan area, laborers or material movers earned a median of $46,040 a year ($22.14 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 5,280 of these jobs there. That is 7% below the $49,440 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $35,410 and $55,370; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Pennsylvania tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $37,760 in take-home pay.

Laborer or material mover pay in Reading, PA at a glance

Median salary

$46,040$22.14 per hour · $3,837 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$35,410$17.02/hr
25th percentile$37,960$18.25/hr
75th percentile$50,510$24.28/hr
90th percentile$55,370$26.62/hr
Jobs in this metro5,280Location quotient 1.59 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here7% belowAll-jobs median $49,440
Against Pennsylvania8% aboveStatewide median $42,480
Against the U.S.14% aboveNational median $40,240

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Laborer or material mover salary in Reading, PA after taxes

$46,040
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$46,040
Net 82%
Fed 7%
PA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$37,760After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,147Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,452Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,345 / yr
Pennsylvania state income tax$1,413 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,522 / yr

Laborers or material movers pay range in Reading, PA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Reading, PA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What laborers or material movers earned in the Reading, PA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (PA)
10th percentile$17.02/hr$2,951$35,410$29,545
25th percentile$18.25/hr$3,163$37,960$31,515
MedianMedian$22.14/hr$3,837$46,040$37,760
75th percentile$24.28/hr$4,209$50,510$41,214
90th percentile$26.62/hr$4,614$55,370$44,970

Is $46,040 a good salary in Reading, PA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for laborers or material movers next to both.

Median household income$79,777Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)97.12.9% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household57.7%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Laborer or material mover pay in Reading, PA: common questions

What is the median salary for laborers or material movers in Reading, PA?

The BLS median annual wage for laborers or material movers in the Reading, PA metro area was $46,040 in May 2025, about $3,837 a month or $22.14 an hour. Statewide, the Pennsylvania median for this job is $42,480, so the metro pays 8% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for laborers or material movers in Reading, PA?

The median hourly wage for laborers or material movers in Reading, PA was $22.14 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.02 an hour and one in ten earned more than $26.62.

How many laborers or material movers work in Reading, PA?

BLS estimated 5,280 jobs for laborers or material movers in the metro in May 2025, or 30.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.59 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for laborers or material movers in Reading, PA?

BLS wage estimates for laborers or material movers in Reading, PA run from $35,410 at the 10th percentile to $37,960 at the 25th, $50,510 at the 75th, and $55,370 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do laborers or material movers take home after taxes in Reading, PA?

On a median gross salary of $46,040, an estimated $37,760 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,452 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Pennsylvania in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,280 (an effective rate of 18%).

How much do laborers or material movers make per month in Reading, PA?

On the median annual salary of $46,040, gross monthly income is $3,837. After federal, FICA, and Pennsylvania state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,147 per month (or $1,452 every two weeks).

Is $46,040 a good salary in Reading, PA?

At $46,040, the median salary for laborers or material movers is 57.7% of the Reading, PA median household income ($79,777). It is 7% below the $49,440 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 97.1, so prices here run 2.9% below the U.S. average.