Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders
Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders (SOC 53-7121) earn a median $58,870 a year ($28.30 an hour) in the United States, with 10,700 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Maryland.
What tank car, truck, and ship loaders do
Tank car, truck, and ship loaders move bulk liquids and solids, such as chemicals, coal, sand, and grain, into or out of tank cars, tank trucks, barges, and ships. Using pumps, valves, spouts, and conveyors, they control the flow of product between storage tanks and the transport vessel. Before loading, they verify that the car number, barge, or truck matches the written or verbal instructions, check the condition and weight of the vessel, and then start pumps, and adjust valves or cables to regulate flow. At a rail loading rack they swing spouts into place as cars pass beneath. Afterward they seal outlet valves, check weights, and may gauge or sample the shipping tanks or test them for leaks. Work with other employees keeps product moving from storage without interruption. They record operating data such as products and quantities pumped, gauge readings, and operating times, and they run ship loading and unloading equipment, hoists, and other specialized handling gear.
Typical entry: O*NET reports that most workers in this occupation have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Also called: Barge Loader, Barges Loader, Bulk Tank Car Unloader, Car Loader, Car Unloader.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.97 | $22.26 | $28.30 | $33.69 | $39.98 | $28.83 | 10,700 |
| Annual | $39,460 | $46,300 | $58,870 | $70,060 | $83,160 | $59,970 | ||
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 tank car, truck, and ship loaders 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 | ||||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $21.74 | $23.41 | $39.10 | $46.76 | $60.33 | $38.04 | 110 | 0.04 | 0.59 |
| Annual | $45,220 | $48,690 | $81,320 | $97,260 | $125,490 | $79,120 | ||||
| South Carolina | Hourly | $26.22 | $26.22 | $38.80 | $38.80 | $38.80 | $32.55 | 90 | 0.04 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $54,540 | $54,540 | $80,700 | $80,700 | $80,700 | $67,700 | ||||
| Montana | Hourly | $32.22 | $36.95 | $38.50 | $40.09 | $52.00 | $38.79 | 80 | 0.16 | 2.37 |
| Annual | $67,010 | $76,860 | $80,070 | $83,390 | $108,160 | $80,670 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $25.10 | $25.15 | $36.84 | $40.59 | $40.60 | $33.89 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $52,200 | $52,320 | $76,620 | $84,440 | $84,440 | $70,490 | ||||
| Alabama | Hourly | $31.98 | $33.69 | $36.27 | $45.00 | $45.00 | $37.24 | 240 | 0.11 | 1.65 |
| Annual | $66,510 | $70,060 | $75,450 | $93,600 | $93,600 | $77,470 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $21.96 | $24.75 | $29.41 | $38.14 | $44.74 | $31.28 | 1,620 | 0.12 | 1.67 |
| Annual | $45,680 | $51,470 | $61,170 | $79,340 | $93,070 | $65,060 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $18.18 | $22.97 | $27.74 | $37.88 | $38.64 | $29.87 | 820 | 0.15 | 2.15 |
| Annual | $37,820 | $47,770 | $57,700 | $78,790 | $80,370 | $62,140 | ||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | $23.53 | $26.74 | $28.32 | $30.08 | $32.70 | $28.61 | 500 | 0.26 | 3.79 |
| Annual | $48,940 | $55,620 | $58,900 | $62,560 | $68,010 | $59,520 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.51 | $19.98 | $21.89 | $30.68 | $38.36 | $25.45 | 430 | 0.04 | 0.63 |
| Annual | $28,090 | $41,550 | $45,540 | $63,810 | $79,790 | $52,930 | ||||
| Mississippi | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 320 | 0.28 | 4.04 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Billings, MT | Hourly | $36.95 | $40.08 | $40.09 | $40.09 | $52.01 | $41.79 | 50 | 0.51 | 7.34 |
| Annual | $76,860 | $83,360 | $83,390 | $83,390 | $108,190 | $86,910 | ||||
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | Hourly | $36.00 | $39.98 | $39.98 | $39.98 | $39.98 | $39.25 | 70 | 0.10 | 1.49 |
| Annual | $74,880 | $83,160 | $83,160 | $83,160 | $83,160 | $81,640 | ||||
| Corpus Christi, TX | Hourly | $25.30 | $33.80 | $39.39 | $40.41 | $41.64 | $37.44 | 60 | 0.31 | 4.46 |
| Annual | $52,610 | $70,300 | $81,920 | $84,040 | $86,600 | $77,870 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $30.03 | $33.82 | $37.26 | $38.25 | $39.31 | $36.05 | 80 | 0.03 | 0.41 |
| Annual | $62,470 | $70,350 | $77,490 | $79,560 | $81,770 | $74,990 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $20.22 | $25.25 | $36.95 | $38.36 | $41.99 | $32.73 | 200 | 0.05 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $42,050 | $52,520 | $76,850 | $79,790 | $87,330 | $68,080 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $21.79 | $21.81 | $29.53 | $33.33 | $33.35 | $28.40 | 1,460 | 0.32 | 4.69 |
| Annual | $45,330 | $45,370 | $61,420 | $69,320 | $69,380 | $59,070 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $24.69 | $24.77 | $29.43 | $38.59 | $45.21 | $31.90 | 970 | 0.30 | 4.29 |
| Annual | $51,340 | $51,520 | $61,220 | $80,270 | $94,030 | $66,360 | ||||
| St. Louis, MO-IL | Hourly | $20.13 | $20.13 | $29.30 | $29.30 | $34.64 | $27.11 | 320 | 0.24 | 3.46 |
| Annual | $41,860 | $41,860 | $60,950 | $60,950 | $72,060 | $56,390 | ||||
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | Hourly | $26.74 | $27.95 | $29.90 | $30.08 | $32.70 | $29.26 | 210 | 0.47 | 6.89 |
| Annual | $55,620 | $58,140 | $62,200 | $62,560 | $68,010 | $60,850 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $20.22 | $25.25 | $36.95 | $38.36 | $41.99 | $32.73 | 200 | 0.05 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $42,050 | $52,520 | $76,850 | $79,790 | $87,330 | $68,080 | ||||
Top industries employing tank car, truck, and ship loaders
Support Activities for Rail Transportation employ 20.5% of tank car, truck, and ship loaders nationally (2,190 jobs) at a median $61,360 a year ($29.50 an hour), followed by Support Activities for Water Transportation (16.6%) and Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers (7.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support Activities for Rail Transportation NAICS 488200 | 2,190 | 20.5% | $61,360 | $29.50 |
| Support Activities for Water Transportation NAICS 488300 | 1,780 | 16.6% | $61,280 | $29.46 |
| Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers NAICS 424500 | 760 | 7.1% | $44,390 | $21.34 |
| Warehousing and Storage NAICS 493100 | 660 | 6.2% | $62,400 | $30.00 |
| Inland Water Transportation NAICS 483200 | 550 | 5.1% | $68,010 | $32.70 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (10,700). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $49,390 for tank car, truck, and ship loaders in May 2021 and $58,870 in May 2025, with employment of 12,090 and 10,700.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $49,390 | $23.75 | 12,090 |
| May 2022 | $53,930 | $25.93 | 12,470 |
| May 2023 | $58,620 | $28.18 | 11,400 |
| May 2024 | $58,070 | $27.92 | 10,920 |
| May 2025 | $58,870 | $28.30 | 10,700 |
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
36 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 | Maryland profile | $39.10 | $81,320 | $45,220 | $125,490 | 110 | 0.04 | 0.59 |
| 2 | South Carolina profile | $38.80 | $80,700 | $54,540 | $80,700 | 90 | 0.04 | 0.57 |
| 3 | Montana profile | $38.50 | $80,070 | $67,010 | $108,160 | 80 | 0.16 | 2.37 |
| 4 | Minnesota profile | $36.84 | $76,620 | $52,200 | $84,440 | ** | ** | ** |
| 5 | Alabama profile | $36.27 | $75,450 | $66,510 | $93,600 | 240 | 0.11 | 1.65 |
| 6 | Oregon profile | $35.60 | $74,040 | $50,520 | $80,430 | ** | ** | ** |
| 7 | Massachusetts profile | $34.49 | $71,750 | $37,960 | $81,760 | 140 | 0.04 | 0.56 |
| 8 | New Hampshire profile | $33.67 | $70,030 | $52,120 | $79,560 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.91 |
| 9 | California profile | $32.98 | $68,600 | $43,570 | $110,100 | 110 | 0.01 | 0.09 |
| 10 | New Jersey profile | $31.20 | $64,890 | $50,980 | $77,790 | 120 | 0.03 | 0.40 |
| 11 | North Dakota profile | $29.43 | $61,210 | $49,760 | $76,650 | 310 | 0.71 | 10.33 |
| 12 | Texas profile | $29.41 | $61,170 | $45,680 | $93,070 | 1,620 | 0.12 | 1.67 |
| 13 | Louisiana profile | $28.32 | $58,900 | $48,940 | $68,010 | 500 | 0.26 | 3.79 |
| 14 | Michigan profile | $27.84 | $57,900 | $47,010 | $66,880 | 200 | 0.05 | 0.66 |
| 15 | Missouri profile | $27.76 | $57,750 | $40,640 | $73,500 | 180 | 0.06 | 0.91 |
| 16 | Ohio profile | $27.74 | $57,700 | $37,820 | $80,370 | 820 | 0.15 | 2.15 |
| 17 | Wisconsin profile | $27.52 | $57,250 | $49,770 | $69,590 | 170 | 0.06 | 0.83 |
| 18 | West Virginia profile | $26.32 | $54,750 | $48,990 | $63,650 | 90 | 0.12 | 1.76 |
| 19 | Utah profile | $25.66 | $53,370 | $49,110 | $53,370 | ** | ** | ** |
| 20 | Kentucky profile | $25.56 | $53,160 | $27,470 | $90,940 | 130 | 0.07 | 0.96 |
| 21 | Iowa profile | $24.74 | $51,450 | $44,530 | $66,840 | 180 | 0.12 | 1.71 |
| 22 | Colorado profile | $24.61 | $51,200 | $38,650 | $63,700 | 80 | 0.03 | 0.42 |
| 23 | Georgia profile | $24.60 | $51,160 | $31,100 | $59,950 | 50 | 0.01 | 0.16 |
| 24 | New York profile | $23.19 | $48,220 | $38,720 | $67,590 | 110 | 0.01 | 0.17 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania profile | $23.13 | $48,120 | $33,560 | $83,550 | 90 | 0.02 | 0.22 |
| 26 | New Mexico profile | $23.08 | $48,010 | $40,810 | $51,840 | 80 | 0.10 | 1.40 |
| 27 | Nebraska profile | $22.26 | $46,300 | $41,690 | $63,840 | ** | ** | ** |
| 28 | Florida profile | $21.89 | $45,540 | $28,090 | $79,790 | 430 | 0.04 | 0.63 |
| 29 | Hawaii profile | $21.75 | $45,240 | $44,290 | $94,310 | ** | ** | ** |
| 30 | North Carolina profile | $21.59 | $44,910 | $40,350 | $53,260 | 240 | 0.05 | 0.72 |
| 31 | Indiana profile | $21.30 | $44,310 | $37,500 | $66,530 | 250 | 0.08 | 1.16 |
| 32 | Idaho profile | $20.05 | $41,700 | $28,400 | $61,290 | 80 | 0.09 | 1.33 |
| 33 | Virginia profile | $19.81 | $41,190 | $31,760 | $70,880 | 60 | 0.01 | 0.20 |
| 34 | Oklahoma profile | $17.00 | $35,360 | $28,710 | $50,880 | 170 | 0.10 | 1.41 |
| 35 | Arkansas profile | $16.25 | $33,800 | $28,600 | $47,440 | 150 | 0.11 | 1.63 |
| – | Mississippi profile | * | * | * | * | 320 | 0.28 | 4.04 |
Part of Transportation and Material Moving 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 53-7121 Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders.
*- 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 53-7121, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 53-7121.00, 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.