Cargo and Freight Agents Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for cargo and freight agents in the U.S. is $52,260 ($25.13 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $52,260
- Mean annual wage
- $57,230
- Median hourly wage
- $25.13
- Employment
- 97,670
97,670 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,340 | $18.43 |
| 25th percentile | $45,710 | $21.98 |
| Median (50th) | $52,260 | $25.13 |
| 75th percentile | $63,390 | $30.48 |
| 90th percentile | $79,810 | $38.37 |
Highest-paying states for cargo and freight agents
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $76,250 | 60 |
| New Hampshire | $67,660 | 80 |
| South Dakota | $64,340 | 200 |
| Nebraska | $62,500 | 390 |
| Washington | $60,760 | 2,410 |
| Rhode Island | $60,310 | 140 |
| New Jersey | $60,210 | 4,280 |
| New York | $60,040 | 5,760 |
| Illinois | $59,750 | 6,110 |
| Montana | $59,240 | 370 |
Lowest-paying states
- Hawaii: $42,400 median annual wage
- Kansas: $42,500 median annual wage
- Idaho: $45,710 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $46,230 median annual wage
- Nevada: $47,000 median annual wage
About this occupation
Expedite and route movement of incoming and outgoing cargo and freight shipments in airline, train, and trucking terminals and shipping docks. Take orders from customers and arrange pickup of freight and cargo for delivery to loading platform. Prepare and examine bills of lading to determine shipping charges and tariffs.
Typical tasks
- Pack goods for shipping, using tools such as staplers, strapping machines, and hammers.
- Direct or participate in cargo loading to ensure completeness of load and even distribution of weight.
- Keep records of all goods shipped, received, and stored.
- Inspect and count items received and check them against invoices or other documents, recording shortages and rejecting damaged goods.
- Negotiate and arrange transport of goods with shipping or freight companies.
- Coordinate and supervise activities of workers engaged in packing and shipping merchandise.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 3.1% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 26.5% |
| Some college, no degree | 29.9% |
| Associate's degree | 12.6% |
| Bachelor's degree | 21.3% |
| Master's degree | 5.8% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.8% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Customer Service Representatives$44,770
- Office Clerks, General$45,010
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$69,500
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$50,670
- Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$45,930
- Receptionists and Information Clerks$38,010
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$45,260
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.