Movers
The short answer: Hand laborers and material movers, the employees closest to side-hustle movers, earned a median $40,240 a year in May 2025, per the BLS. One creator, Sonoma Strong Hauling & Junk Removal, says starting as a side hustle with just a pickup truck could bring around $2,000–$3,000 extra a month. (BLS OEWS; Sonoma Strong Hauling & Junk Removal) The catch is high physical demand, so side-hustle moving suits people who can do heavy labor and have a pickup truck. (Paid to Drive!)
| Median pay of employed laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand | $19.35/hr ($40,240/yr) BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employee pay, not side-hustle income |
|---|---|
| Projected job growth, laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand | +1.8% BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 |
| One creator's reported part-time earnings | $2,000–$3,000/month Reported by Sonoma Strong Hauling & Junk Removal, Nov 2026 |
From 4 quotes by 3 creators and BLS data. A creator figure is one person's account.
Go deeper: every source on movers
How much do side-hustle movers make?
The one creator figure for side-hustle movers, from Sonoma Strong, assumes you start with just a pickup truck. BLS data for May 2025 put employed hand laborers and material movers at a median $19.35 an hour, $31,270 a year at the 10th percentile and $55,140 at the 90th. (Sonoma Strong Hauling & Junk Removal; BLS OEWS)
Employee medians differ by state, such as $24,560 in Puerto Rico and $46,280 in Minnesota. (BLS OEWS)
| Related occupation | Median pay | Middle 80% |
|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $19.35/hr ($40,240/yr), BLS OEWS, May 2025 | $31,270–$55,140/yr |
Median annual pay of employed laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand: $40,240 nationally; highest and lowest states below (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Highest-paying states | Median | Lowest-paying states | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $46,280/yr | Arkansas | $35,920/yr |
| Washington | $46,190/yr | Louisiana | $35,340/yr |
| District of Columbia | $45,740/yr | Puerto Rico | $24,560/yr |
What do people doing movers say?
“if you start this business as a side hustle with just a pickup truck, you could make around $2,000 to $3,000 extra every month.”
“Some straps, a truck bed, a floor dolly, a regular dolly, and some moving blankets.”
“I'm still working full time in in my software sales job and kind of running the business per SE while he's running the field.”
“It's much more involved physical labor. A lot of people don't realize it.”
What equipment do you need to start as a mover?
To start as a mover with a pickup, Sonoma Strong lists some straps, a truck bed, a floor dolly, a regular dolly and some moving blankets. (Sonoma Strong Hauling & Junk Removal)
Not enough evidence yet: No source we track states a dollar startup cost yet.
- Line up a pickup truck and the gear above. (Sonoma Strong Hauling & Junk Removal)
- Post your service on Craigslist, Facebook groups and Nextdoor.
- Leave flyers at furniture and thrift stores.
- Equipment: dolly, floor dolly, moving blankets, straps, truck bed (Sonoma Strong Hauling & Junk Removal)
How much time does movers take?
Not enough evidence yet: No source we track says how long the first payout takes or how many hours it needs yet.
Who is movers a good fit for?
Side-hustle moving suits people with access to a pickup truck, the base of Sonoma Strong's setup. The closest employee job is hand laborers and material movers, who move freight, stock and material by hand, so expect to carry the loads yourself. (Sonoma Strong Hauling & Junk Removal; O*NET 31.0)
Which platforms do people use for movers?
Platforms people doing movers use: Lugg.
Is movers worth it?
Pros
- BLS projects employment of hand laborers and material movers to grow 1.8% over 2025-35, a stable demand trend. (BLS Employment Projections)
- Sonoma Strong says you can start this side hustle with just a pickup truck. (Sonoma Strong Hauling & Junk Removal)
Cons
- The Paid to Drive! channel says moving is much more involved physical labor and that a lot of people don't realize it. (Paid to Drive!)
- Moving jobs need onsite estimates and quotes, which one moving-company owner built an AI inventory tool to speed up. (Moving For Money)
What are the alternatives to movers?
- Delivery Driving side hustle: Also in driving and delivery.
- Junk Removal Services side hustle: Often covered together (2 shared videos).
- Landscaping Services side hustle: Often covered together (1 shared video).
What else do people ask about movers?
What do employed movers earn in Washington and DC?
BLS medians for hand laborers and material movers in May 2025 were $46,190 in Washington and $45,740 in DC. (BLS OEWS)
What do employed movers earn in Arkansas and Louisiana?
BLS medians for the same employees in May 2025 were $35,920 in Arkansas and $35,340 in Louisiana. (BLS OEWS)
Sources and method
Quotes are verbatim and linked to the moment they were said. A figure from one report is not confirmed by a second source. BLS figures describe employees in the closest related occupation. Every quote, the pay in each state and the full source list are on the every source on movers.
- Sonoma Strong Hauling & Junk Removal, YouTube, 2 Nov 2026.
- Paid to Drive!, YouTube, 29 Oct 2026.
- Moving For Money, YouTube, 14 Jun 2026.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- O*NET 31.0 Database, 31.0.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35.
Other data behind this page (1)
| Fact | Value | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demand trend | stable | Accepted | BLS Employment Projections |