The short answer
Pick UPS if you want a union contract, a daily hours guarantee and a pension, and you can wait nine months for health coverage. Pick FedEx if you want medical coverage sooner or a "casual" schedule you control. Check both postings for your own ZIP code first, because FedEx rates change from one station to the next. Both are physical, part-time, hourly jobs.
Side-by-side table
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| What matters | UPS package handler (part time) | FedEx package handler (part time) |
|---|---|---|
| Starting pay in current postings | $21.00 an hour base pay (seasonal package handler postings in Winchester, VA; Carlisle, PA; and Middletown, PA; viewed October 21, 2026). New part-timers start at $21.00 under the National Master Agreement, Article 22 (2023 to 2028) | $18.25 (seasonal, Irving and Addison, TX, viewed October 21, 2026). $21.75 to $22.75 (part time, Hagerstown, MD, viewed October 21, 2026). $17.40 to $18.90 (part time, Hermon, ME, posted August 19, 2026) |
| Raises | Contract scale: $21.00 at start, $21.50 after 12 months, $22.00 after 24, $22.50 after 36, $23.00 after 48. Part-timers hired after August 1, 2027 start at $23.00 (National Master Agreement, Article 22) | Each posting shows a range for its site. FedEx says actual pay depends on experience, tenure, market, schedule and other factors (Hermon posting, August 19, 2026) |
| Guaranteed hours | A minimum of 3.5 hours a day for part-time employees under Article 22, Section 5(d). The Teamsters say you must show up on time to enforce it (Teamsters flier, March 2024) | None stated. Part-time employees "work one shift a day," generally 3 to 6 hours, based on package volume (FedEx postings, Hermon, Irving and Hagerstown) |
| Typical shift windows | Preload about 3:00 to 9:00 AM, sunrise about 3:00 to 8:00 AM, day about 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM, twilight about 5:00 to 10:00 PM, night about 11:00 PM to 3:00 AM; times vary by location (UPS Warehouse Workers page, viewed October 21, 2026) | Early morning, midday, evening and overnight part-time shifts (Hagerstown posting, viewed October 21, 2026) |
| Health coverage | UPS says part-time union employees get "$0 healthcare premiums" (UPS, Working at UPS page, viewed October 21, 2026). The contract makes individual and family coverage available to part-timers after nine months of active employment (National Master Agreement, Article 34) | Medical, dental and vision for part-timers after 91 days of employment and an average of at least 17 hours a week (Hermon and Hagerstown postings) |
| Retirement | UPS contributes to a defined-benefit pension plan for part-time union employees (UPS, Working at UPS page). Its hourly jobs page lists "401(K) plus pension" for warehouse workers (jobs-ups.com, viewed October 21, 2026) | Not described in the postings we read |
| Tuition help | Earn and Learn: up to $5,250 per calendar year, $25,000 lifetime maximum, eligibility from your first day, at select locations (jobs-ups.com, viewed October 21, 2026) | Up to $5,250 per calendar year, "with no lifetime cap" (Hermon posting, August 19, 2026) |
| Casual tier | Not listed. UPS describes permanent and seasonal warehouse roles (UPS Warehouse Workers page, viewed October 21, 2026) | Casual handlers work when available, see shifts published weekly, work up to 24 hours a week, and "are not eligible for benefits unless required by applicable law" (careers.fedex.com, viewed October 21, 2026) |
| Pay frequency | Weekly. "Excellent weekly pay" (Winchester posting) and "Paid weekly" (UPS Hourly Roles page, viewed October 21, 2026) | Weekly. "Paid weekly for both full and part time opportunities" (Irving, Hagerstown and Hermon postings) |
| Union | Yes. Teamsters National Master Agreement, ratified August 22, 2023 (UPS, Working at UPS page) | No. FedEx says its U.S. and Canada employees, except pilots, are not unionized, apart from a small number at FedEx Supply Chain (Form 10-K for the year ended May 31, 2026) |
| Physical demands | Lift, lower and carry packages up to 70 pounds (Winchester posting, October 21, 2026) | "Fast paced and physical warehouse work" loading, unloading and sorting packages of various sizes (FedEx postings) |
| Hiring speed | No interview step for most jobs; the last step is picking your first day (UPS FAQ, viewed October 21, 2026). The seasonal posting says you could schedule your first day within 10 minutes | The postings we read give no timeline |
Pay: why the FedEx numbers differ
UPS's $21.00 is the contract start rate, and the three UPS postings we read on October 21, 2026 all showed $21.00. FedEx sets pay posting by posting. Its pay notice says actual pay depends on factors that include "market level" and "pay at the location for this job" (Hermon posting, August 19, 2026). So each FedEx figure on this page belongs to one posting, one place and one date:
- Hermon, ME: $17.40 to $18.90, part time, posted August 19, 2026.
- Irving and Addison, TX: $18.25, seasonal part time, viewed October 21, 2026.
- Hagerstown, MD: $21.75 to $22.75 part time, $23.75 full time, viewed October 21, 2026.
There is no single FedEx starting rate to quote. In Hagerstown, FedEx pays more than UPS's $21.00 start. Around Dallas, it pays less. For context, hand laborers and material movers in Dallas-Fort Worth earned a median of $18.52 an hour, against $19.35 nationally (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). More: pay benchmarks.
Open both postings for your own ZIP code first. Our city pages show both employers: Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta.
Then multiply by hours. A UPS permanent part-timer who shows up on time is owed at least 3.5 hours: $73.50 at $21.00, or $367.50 for a five-day week before taxes. A FedEx handler at $18.25 grosses $54.75 on a 3-hour day and $109.50 on a 6-hour day.
Hours: the 3.5-hour guarantee
The UPS contract says: "All part-time employees governed by this Article shall be provided a minimum daily three and one-half (3-1/2) hour guarantee" (National Master Agreement, Article 22, Section 5(d)). The Teamsters' flier adds that you must show up on time for your shift to enforce it (March 2024). If you work a seasonal job first, read UPS seasonal jobs for how that version works.
FedEx states no daily guarantee. Its postings say part-time employees work one shift a day, generally 3 to 6 hours, and that shift length depends on package volume. Casual handlers pick from shifts published weekly and can work up to 24 hours a week (careers.fedex.com, viewed October 21, 2026).
Benefits: who waits, and for what
UPS part-timers wait longer for health coverage: the contract sets nine months of active employment (Article 34). UPS says the coverage carries "$0 healthcare premiums" and that part-time union employees also get paid vacations, holidays, tuition benefits and pension contributions (UPS, Working at UPS page, viewed October 21, 2026). Tuition help can start on day one at participating locations, up to $5,250 a year and $25,000 in total.
FedEx moves faster on medical: part-timers qualify after 91 days if they average at least 17 hours a week. Tuition help is up to $5,250 a year (FedEx postings). Casual handlers get no benefits unless state law requires them.
If health insurance is the reason you are applying, FedEx gets you there in about three months. If a pension and a union contract matter more, UPS fits better.
Which to choose
- You want a sure daily minimum: UPS, with its 3.5-hour guarantee.
- You need health coverage fast: FedEx (91 days at 17 or more hours a week).
- You are a student with a changing schedule: FedEx casual, or a UPS twilight shift.
- You want a pension and a union steward: UPS.
- You want to start fast: UPS, which has no interview step for most roles.
- You may want to drive later: browse delivery jobs.
Neither employer promises a permanent spot after peak: can a seasonal job become permanent. Amazon is the third option in most metros: how to get hired at an Amazon warehouse. Retail warehouses pay differently: Walmart distribution center jobs. Both UPS and FedEx pay weekly; see jobs with weekly pay. Overnight sorts and what they pay: night shift warehouse jobs.
Current openings
See all warehouse jobs and part-time warehouse jobs. By city: Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta.
More warehouse openings
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How to verify a listing
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