Cargo and Freight Agents
Cargo and Freight Agents (SOC 43-5011) earn a median $52,260 a year ($25.13 an hour) in the United States, with 97,670 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What cargo and freight agents do
Cargo and freight agents speed up and direct the movement of inbound and outbound cargo and freight at airline, train, and trucking terminals and at shipping docks. They take orders from customers and arrange for pickup of the freight and its delivery to the loading platform. Agents determine the method of shipment, negotiate and arrange transport with shipping or freight companies, and prepare bills of lading, invoices, and other shipping documents. They examine bills of lading to determine shipping charges and tariffs, figure freight or postal rates and log what each shipment costs and weighs. They advise clients on transportation and payment methods, track the progress of deliveries, and notify consignees, passengers, or customers when freight or baggage arrives and arrange delivery. Agents keep records of all goods shipped, received, and stored, retrieve stored items, and trace lost shipments. The role is different from truck drivers and from dispatchers, who send out vehicles and crews, since the agent works on the freight's paperwork and routing.
Typical entry: O*NET survey respondents most often report a bachelor's degree as the education level for this occupation.
Also called: Air Export Coordinator, Air Export Specialist, Cargo Agent, Cargo Router, Cargo Warehouse Agent.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.43 | $21.98 | $25.13 | $30.48 | $38.37 | $27.52 | 97,670 |
| Annual | $38,340 | $45,710 | $52,260 | $63,390 | $79,810 | $57,230 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where cargo and freight agents earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $25.72 | $35.00 | $36.66 | $36.66 | $40.72 | $35.47 | 60 | 0.08 | 0.13 |
| Annual | $53,490 | $72,810 | $76,250 | $76,250 | $84,700 | $73,770 | ||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | $19.81 | $21.46 | $32.53 | $37.08 | $40.93 | $30.73 | 80 | 0.12 | 0.20 |
| Annual | $41,190 | $44,650 | $67,660 | $77,130 | $85,140 | $63,920 | ||||
| South Dakota | Hourly | $23.91 | $29.03 | $30.94 | $33.09 | $38.54 | $31.25 | 200 | 0.43 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $49,730 | $60,390 | $64,340 | $68,830 | $80,160 | $65,000 | ||||
| Nebraska | Hourly | $19.53 | $24.67 | $30.05 | $37.74 | $39.52 | $30.67 | 390 | 0.38 | 0.60 |
| Annual | $40,630 | $51,320 | $62,500 | $78,500 | $82,200 | $63,790 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $23.24 | $25.09 | $29.21 | $34.87 | $39.56 | $30.33 | 2,410 | 0.68 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $48,330 | $52,190 | $60,760 | $72,520 | $82,290 | $63,090 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $18.48 | $22.73 | $27.73 | $35.45 | $39.93 | $29.67 | 17,060 | 0.94 | 1.49 |
| Annual | $38,430 | $47,270 | $57,690 | $73,730 | $83,060 | $61,720 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $18.26 | $22.07 | $23.33 | $29.60 | $36.35 | $26.32 | 8,110 | 0.82 | 1.30 |
| Annual | $37,990 | $45,910 | $48,520 | $61,560 | $75,610 | $54,740 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.06 | $19.35 | $23.30 | $29.36 | $35.16 | $24.79 | 7,610 | 0.54 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $35,480 | $40,260 | $48,470 | $61,060 | $73,120 | $51,570 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $19.24 | $23.48 | $28.72 | $30.04 | $38.74 | $27.94 | 6,110 | 1.00 | 1.60 |
| Annual | $40,030 | $48,840 | $59,750 | $62,480 | $80,580 | $58,120 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $19.52 | $22.87 | $28.87 | $38.86 | $39.82 | $31.09 | 5,760 | 0.59 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $40,590 | $47,570 | $60,040 | $80,820 | $82,820 | $64,660 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Lake Charles, LA | Hourly | $12.33 | $22.70 | $32.73 | $32.73 | $36.00 | $27.45 | 30 | 0.31 | 0.49 |
| Annual | $25,640 | $47,210 | $68,080 | $68,080 | $74,880 | $57,090 | ||||
| Tulsa, OK | Hourly | $15.11 | $21.02 | $32.28 | $32.28 | $39.03 | $28.61 | 130 | 0.28 | 0.45 |
| Annual | $31,420 | $43,720 | $67,140 | $67,140 | $81,180 | $59,520 | ||||
| Rapid City, SD | Hourly | $28.00 | $30.18 | $31.46 | $38.77 | $39.18 | $32.38 | 30 | 0.42 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $58,240 | $62,770 | $65,440 | $80,650 | $81,500 | $67,350 | ||||
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | Hourly | $24.73 | $28.84 | $31.40 | $36.35 | $40.84 | $32.93 | 40 | 0.18 | 0.29 |
| Annual | $51,440 | $59,990 | $65,320 | $75,610 | $84,950 | $68,490 | ||||
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | Hourly | $18.52 | $21.36 | $31.05 | $34.60 | $34.60 | $28.37 | 60 | 0.33 | 0.52 |
| Annual | $38,520 | $44,430 | $64,580 | $71,960 | $71,960 | $59,000 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $19.07 | $23.23 | $28.37 | $35.85 | $39.37 | $29.97 | 10,490 | 1.67 | 2.66 |
| Annual | $39,670 | $48,330 | $59,010 | $74,560 | $81,880 | $62,340 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $22.34 | $24.93 | $29.13 | $38.37 | $41.26 | $31.58 | 7,820 | 0.82 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $46,470 | $51,860 | $60,590 | $79,810 | $85,810 | $65,680 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $19.24 | $23.50 | $28.77 | $30.04 | $38.74 | $27.95 | 5,630 | 1.25 | 1.99 |
| Annual | $40,030 | $48,880 | $59,850 | $62,480 | $80,580 | $58,140 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $17.92 | $22.07 | $23.15 | $29.68 | $35.42 | $25.85 | 4,620 | 1.64 | 2.61 |
| Annual | $37,270 | $45,910 | $48,150 | $61,730 | $73,680 | $53,760 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $15.11 | $22.47 | $28.24 | $30.25 | $36.53 | $26.28 | 2,680 | 0.93 | 1.47 |
| Annual | $31,440 | $46,730 | $58,750 | $62,930 | $75,980 | $54,660 | ||||
Top industries employing cargo and freight agents
Freight Transportation Arrangement employ 54.7% of cargo and freight agents nationally (53,390 jobs) at a median $54,730 a year ($26.31 an hour), followed by Couriers and Express Delivery Services (10.0%) and Scheduled Air Transportation (8.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freight Transportation Arrangement NAICS 488500 | 53,390 | 54.7% | $54,730 | $26.31 |
| Couriers and Express Delivery Services NAICS 492100 | 9,770 | 10.0% | $57,660 | $27.72 |
| Scheduled Air Transportation NAICS 481100 | 8,440 | 8.6% | $49,030 | $23.57 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation NAICS 488100 | 6,030 | 6.2% | $39,190 | $18.84 |
| Truck Transportation NAICS 484000 | 4,990 | 5.1% | $58,260 | $28.01 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (97,670). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $46,910 for cargo and freight agents in May 2021 and $52,260 in May 2025, with employment of 85,750 and 97,670.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $46,910 | $22.55 | 85,750 |
| May 2022 | $46,860 | $22.53 | 93,480 |
| May 2023 | $48,330 | $23.24 | 105,220 |
| May 2024 | $49,900 | $23.99 | 97,800 |
| May 2025 | $52,260 | $25.13 | 97,670 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
50 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $36.66 | $76,250 | $53,490 | $84,700 | 60 | 0.08 | 0.13 |
| 2 | New Hampshire profile | $32.53 | $67,660 | $41,190 | $85,140 | 80 | 0.12 | 0.20 |
| 3 | South Dakota profile | $30.94 | $64,340 | $49,730 | $80,160 | 200 | 0.43 | 0.68 |
| 4 | Nebraska profile | $30.05 | $62,500 | $40,630 | $82,200 | 390 | 0.38 | 0.60 |
| 5 | Washington profile | $29.21 | $60,760 | $48,330 | $82,290 | 2,410 | 0.68 | 1.08 |
| 6 | Rhode Island profile | $29.00 | $60,310 | $39,530 | $91,650 | 140 | 0.27 | 0.43 |
| 7 | New Jersey profile | $28.95 | $60,210 | $47,630 | $77,750 | 4,280 | 1.00 | 1.59 |
| 8 | New York profile | $28.87 | $60,040 | $40,590 | $82,820 | 5,760 | 0.59 | 0.95 |
| 9 | Illinois profile | $28.72 | $59,750 | $40,030 | $80,580 | 6,110 | 1.00 | 1.60 |
| 10 | Montana profile | $28.48 | $59,240 | $39,380 | $80,270 | 370 | 0.73 | 1.16 |
| 11 | Massachusetts profile | $28.21 | $58,680 | $49,240 | $75,860 | 820 | 0.23 | 0.36 |
| 12 | Minnesota profile | $28.20 | $58,650 | $46,790 | $74,480 | 1,380 | 0.47 | 0.74 |
| 13 | California profile | $27.73 | $57,690 | $38,430 | $83,060 | 17,060 | 0.94 | 1.49 |
| 14 | Wisconsin profile | $27.54 | $57,290 | $40,010 | $74,160 | 1,280 | 0.44 | 0.69 |
| 15 | South Carolina profile | $27.41 | $57,000 | $46,220 | $77,530 | 1,540 | 0.67 | 1.06 |
| 16 | Alabama profile | $26.39 | $54,890 | $40,040 | $83,510 | 1,020 | 0.48 | 0.77 |
| 17 | North Dakota profile | $26.07 | $54,230 | $38,530 | $98,960 | 380 | 0.88 | 1.40 |
| 18 | Utah profile | $25.37 | $52,770 | $37,370 | $92,670 | 590 | 0.34 | 0.54 |
| 19 | Alaska profile | $25.03 | $52,070 | $43,740 | $80,170 | 580 | 1.79 | 2.84 |
| 20 | Tennessee profile | $24.91 | $51,800 | $36,720 | $85,560 | 3,390 | 1.03 | 1.64 |
| 21 | Colorado profile | $24.71 | $51,390 | $43,940 | $72,760 | 850 | 0.30 | 0.47 |
| 22 | Georgia profile | $24.70 | $51,380 | $31,440 | $75,880 | 3,630 | 0.74 | 1.18 |
| 23 | Missouri profile | $24.44 | $50,840 | $33,660 | $81,770 | 1,410 | 0.48 | 0.76 |
| 24 | Arkansas profile | $24.28 | $50,500 | $31,350 | $67,460 | ** | ** | ** |
| 25 | Maine profile | $24.20 | $50,340 | $45,520 | $67,100 | 190 | 0.30 | 0.48 |
| 26 | Indiana profile | $24.05 | $50,020 | $37,710 | $85,130 | 1,200 | 0.38 | 0.60 |
| 27 | Oklahoma profile | $24.01 | $49,940 | $31,200 | $80,620 | 300 | 0.17 | 0.28 |
| 28 | Mississippi profile | $24.00 | $49,920 | $35,360 | $70,530 | 260 | 0.22 | 0.36 |
| 29 | Arizona profile | $23.98 | $49,880 | $36,950 | $70,010 | 1,840 | 0.57 | 0.90 |
| 30 | Virginia profile | $23.89 | $49,680 | $40,190 | $75,010 | 1,280 | 0.31 | 0.50 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania profile | $23.84 | $49,590 | $36,900 | $81,970 | 2,810 | 0.46 | 0.74 |
| 32 | Ohio profile | $23.81 | $49,530 | $39,200 | $80,680 | 2,840 | 0.51 | 0.82 |
| 33 | Oregon profile | $23.76 | $49,420 | $43,730 | $74,560 | 1,290 | 0.66 | 1.04 |
| 34 | West Virginia profile | $23.60 | $49,100 | $36,920 | $75,650 | 130 | 0.18 | 0.29 |
| 35 | Louisiana profile | $23.53 | $48,940 | $27,230 | $73,360 | 840 | 0.44 | 0.69 |
| 36 | New Mexico profile | $23.51 | $48,910 | $38,190 | $81,180 | 110 | 0.13 | 0.20 |
| 37 | Maryland profile | $23.43 | $48,730 | $35,230 | $70,580 | 740 | 0.27 | 0.43 |
| 38 | Florida profile | $23.33 | $48,520 | $37,990 | $75,610 | 8,110 | 0.82 | 1.30 |
| 39 | Texas profile | $23.30 | $48,470 | $35,480 | $73,120 | 7,610 | 0.54 | 0.86 |
| 40 | Iowa profile | $23.25 | $48,370 | $38,610 | $75,300 | 660 | 0.42 | 0.67 |
| 41 | North Carolina profile | $23.08 | $48,000 | $35,990 | $68,410 | 2,520 | 0.51 | 0.81 |
| 42 | Michigan profile | $23.05 | $47,940 | $38,950 | $71,950 | 2,150 | 0.49 | 0.78 |
| 43 | Vermont profile | $22.87 | $47,560 | $42,160 | $61,320 | 80 | 0.27 | 0.43 |
| 44 | Nevada profile | $22.60 | $47,000 | $38,360 | $70,960 | 490 | 0.32 | 0.51 |
| 45 | Kentucky profile | $22.23 | $46,230 | $39,280 | $75,320 | 2,570 | 1.28 | 2.04 |
| 46 | Idaho profile | $21.98 | $45,710 | $39,830 | $71,170 | 300 | 0.36 | 0.57 |
| 47 | Kansas profile | $20.44 | $42,500 | $26,050 | $60,480 | 890 | 0.62 | 0.99 |
| 48 | Hawaii profile | $20.39 | $42,400 | $34,540 | $68,380 | 1,760 | 2.80 | 4.45 |
| – | Connecticut profile | * | * | * | * | 560 | 0.33 | 0.53 |
| – | Wyoming profile | * | * | * | * | 160 | 0.58 | 0.92 |
Part of Office and Administrative Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 43-5011 Cargo and Freight Agents.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 43-5011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 43-5011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.