43 Series · SOC 43-5011
Cargo and Freight Agents Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $52,260
- Median / year
- $79,810
- Top 10% earn
- +8.5%
- Growth '23–'33
- 97,670
- US workers
Cargo and Freight Agents earn a median of $52,260 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $52,260, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $38,340 (10th percentile) to $79,810 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 97,670 US workers. District of Columbia pays the most ($76,250), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Cargo and Freight Agents earn a median of $52,260, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 38% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Office and Administrative Support, it ranks #15 of 54 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 8.5% by 2033.
- $52,260
- Median annual wage
- Top 62%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #15 of 54
- in Office and Administrative Support
- 2.1×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $76,250. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Cargo and Freight Agents (SOC 43-5011) pays a national median of $52,260 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $38,340 at the 10th percentile to $79,810 at the 90th, with a mean of $57,230 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 97,670 Americans work in this occupation across 51 reporting states and 180 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +8.5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as much faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 8,800 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and short-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 1 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $76,250, which is +46% above the national figure. The top metro is Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area at $77,230 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$52,260
per year
Median Hourly
$25.13/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$57,230
average
Employment
97,670
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Cargo and Freight Agents pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$52,260 Bottom 38% higher than 38% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 43-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Cargo and Freight Agents; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 24 43-series occupations with growth data, Cargo and Freight Agents sits on the faster-growing side at +8.5% growth and $52,260 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+8.5%
Much faster than average
Annual Openings
8,800
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.5/100K
Injury Rate
1/100
Danger Index
4.3/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Cargo and Freight Agents roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Negotiate shipping rates with freight carriers.
- ▸ Arrange for special transport of sensitive cargoes, such as livestock, food, or medical supplies.
- ▸ Arrange for applicable duties, taxes, or paperwork for customs clearance.
- ▸ Inform clients of factors such as shipping options, timelines, transfers, or regulations affecting shipments.
- ▸ Prepare shipping documentation, such as bills of lading, packing lists, dock receipts, or certificates of origin.
- ▸ Complete customs paperwork.
- ▸ Recommend or arrange appropriate merchandise packing methods, according to climate, terrain, weight, nature of goods, or costs.
- ▸ Refer exporters to experts in areas such as trade financing, international marketing, government export requirements, international banking, or marine insurance.
- ▸ Prepare invoices or cost quotations for freight transportation.
- ▸ Select shipment routes, based on nature of goods shipped, transit times, or security needs.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$38,340
25th Percentile
$45,710
Median
$52,260
75th Percentile
$63,390
90th Percentile
$79,810
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 51 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $76,250 | +46% above national |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $67,660 | +29% above national |
| 3 | South Dakota | $64,340 | +23% above national |
| 4 | Nebraska | $62,500 | +20% above national |
| 5 | Washington | $60,760 | +16% above national |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $60,310 | +15% above national |
| 7 | New Jersey | $60,210 | +15% above national |
| 8 | New York | $60,040 | +15% above national |
| 9 | Illinois | $59,750 | +14% above national |
| 10 | Montana | $59,240 | +13% above national |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $58,680 | +12% above national |
| 12 | Minnesota | $58,650 | +12% above national |
| 13 | California | $57,690 | +10% above national |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $57,290 | +10% above national |
| 15 | South Carolina | $57,000 | +9% above national |
| 16 | Alabama | $54,890 | +5% above national |
| 17 | North Dakota | $54,230 | +4% above national |
| 18 | Utah | $52,770 | +1% above national |
| 19 | Alaska | $52,070 | same as national |
| 20 | Tennessee | $51,800 | 1% below national |
| 21 | Colorado | $51,390 | 2% below national |
| 22 | Georgia | $51,380 | 2% below national |
| 23 | Missouri | $50,840 | 3% below national |
| 24 | Arkansas | $50,500 | 3% below national |
| 25 | Maine | $50,340 | 4% below national |
| 26 | Indiana | $50,020 | 4% below national |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $49,940 | 4% below national |
| 28 | Mississippi | $49,920 | 4% below national |
| 29 | Arizona | $49,880 | 5% below national |
| 30 | Virginia | $49,680 | 5% below national |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $49,590 | 5% below national |
| 32 | Ohio | $49,530 | 5% below national |
| 33 | Oregon | $49,420 | 5% below national |
| 34 | West Virginia | $49,100 | 6% below national |
| 35 | Louisiana | $48,940 | 6% below national |
| 36 | New Mexico | $48,910 | 6% below national |
| 37 | Maryland | $48,730 | 7% below national |
| 38 | Florida | $48,520 | 7% below national |
| 39 | Texas | $48,470 | 7% below national |
| 40 | Iowa | $48,370 | 7% below national |
| 41 | North Carolina | $48,000 | 8% below national |
| 42 | Michigan | $47,940 | 8% below national |
| 43 | Vermont | $47,560 | 9% below national |
| 44 | Nevada | $47,000 | 10% below national |
| 45 | Kentucky | $46,230 | 12% below national |
| 46 | Idaho | $45,710 | 13% below national |
| 47 | Kansas | $42,500 | 19% below national |
| 48 | Hawaii | $42,400 | 19% below national |
| 49 | Guam | $38,360 | 27% below national |
| 50 | Virgin Islands | $29,400 | 44% below national |
| 51 | Puerto Rico | $28,600 | 45% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 180 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $77,230 | +48% above national |
| 2 | Lake Charles, LA | $68,080 | +30% above national |
| 3 | Tulsa, OK | $67,140 | +28% above national |
| 4 | Rapid City, SD | $65,440 | +25% above national |
| 5 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $65,320 | +25% above national |
| 6 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $64,580 | +24% above national |
| 7 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $64,410 | +23% above national |
| 8 | New Haven, CT | $63,380 | +21% above national |
| 9 | Albuquerque, NM | $63,010 | +21% above national |
| 10 | Missoula, MT | $63,010 | +21% above national |
| 11 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $62,950 | +20% above national |
| 12 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $62,830 | +20% above national |
| 13 | Omaha, NE-IA | $62,240 | +19% above national |
| 14 | Syracuse, NY | $62,100 | +19% above national |
| 15 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $61,860 | +18% above national |
| 16 | Vallejo, CA | $61,560 | +18% above national |
| 17 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $60,980 | +17% above national |
| 18 | Great Falls, MT | $60,810 | +16% above national |
| 19 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $60,590 | +16% above national |
| 20 | Corpus Christi, TX | $60,500 | +16% above national |
| 21 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $60,330 | +15% above national |
| 22 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $60,260 | +15% above national |
| 23 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $60,170 | +15% above national |
| 24 | Lincoln, NE | $60,120 | +15% above national |
| 25 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $59,980 | +15% above national |
| 26 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $59,970 | +15% above national |
| 27 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $59,890 | +15% above national |
| 28 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $59,850 | +15% above national |
| 29 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $59,750 | +14% above national |
| 30 | Sussex Delaware nonmetropolitan area | $59,680 | +14% above national |
| 31 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $59,660 | +14% above national |
| 32 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $59,650 | +14% above national |
| 33 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $59,610 | +14% above national |
| 34 | Fargo, ND-MN | $59,580 | +14% above national |
| 35 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $59,570 | +14% above national |
| 36 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $59,560 | +14% above national |
| 37 | Madison, WI | $59,460 | +14% above national |
| 38 | Reading, PA | $59,450 | +14% above national |
| 39 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $59,330 | +14% above national |
| 40 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $59,320 | +14% above national |
| 41 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $59,310 | +13% above national |
| 42 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $59,010 | +13% above national |
| 43 | Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $58,850 | +13% above national |
| 44 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $58,750 | +12% above national |
| 45 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $58,690 | +12% above national |
| 46 | Dothan, AL | $58,610 | +12% above national |
| 47 | Peoria, IL | $58,540 | +12% above national |
| 48 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $58,460 | +12% above national |
| 49 | Bozeman, MT | $58,290 | +12% above national |
| 50 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $57,560 | +10% above national |
| 51 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $57,480 | +10% above national |
| 52 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $57,440 | +10% above national |
| 53 | Bellingham, WA | $57,090 | +9% above national |
| 54 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $56,960 | +9% above national |
| 55 | Greeley, CO | $56,940 | +9% above national |
| 56 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $56,430 | +8% above national |
| 57 | Spartanburg, SC | $56,410 | +8% above national |
| 58 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $56,300 | +8% above national |
| 59 | Cleveland, OH | $56,060 | +7% above national |
| 60 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $56,060 | +7% above national |
| 61 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $55,930 | +7% above national |
| 62 | Birmingham, AL | $55,700 | +7% above national |
| 63 | St. Cloud, MN | $55,350 | +6% above national |
| 64 | Columbia, SC | $55,070 | +5% above national |
| 65 | Jackson, MS | $54,890 | +5% above national |
| 66 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $54,820 | +5% above national |
| 67 | Salinas, CA | $54,490 | +4% above national |
| 68 | Visalia, CA | $54,430 | +4% above national |
| 69 | Springfield, MA | $54,310 | +4% above national |
| 70 | Tallahassee, FL | $54,200 | +4% above national |
| 71 | Mobile, AL | $54,110 | +4% above national |
| 72 | Green Bay, WI | $53,820 | +3% above national |
| 73 | Lubbock, TX | $53,190 | +2% above national |
| 74 | Rochester, NY | $52,270 | same as national |
| 75 | Terre Haute, IN | $52,210 | same as national |
| 76 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $51,860 | 1% below national |
| 77 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $51,760 | 1% below national |
| 78 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $51,570 | 1% below national |
| 79 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $51,390 | 2% below national |
| 80 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $51,280 | 2% below national |
| 81 | Baton Rouge, LA | $51,230 | 2% below national |
| 82 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $51,110 | 2% below national |
| 83 | West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $50,960 | 2% below national |
| 84 | Evansville, IN | $50,850 | 3% below national |
| 85 | Jacksonville, FL | $50,740 | 3% below national |
| 86 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $50,680 | 3% below national |
| 87 | East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area | $50,400 | 4% below national |
| 88 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $50,340 | 4% below national |
| 89 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $50,330 | 4% below national |
| 90 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $50,260 | 4% below national |
| 91 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $50,240 | 4% below national |
| 92 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $50,230 | 4% below national |
| 93 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $50,220 | 4% below national |
| 94 | Columbus, OH | $50,210 | 4% below national |
| 95 | Fresno, CA | $50,150 | 4% below national |
| 96 | Salem, OR | $50,100 | 4% below national |
| 97 | Bend, OR | $49,990 | 4% below national |
| 98 | East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $49,900 | 5% below national |
| 99 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $49,860 | 5% below national |
| 100 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $49,720 | 5% below national |
| 101 | Richmond, VA | $49,640 | 5% below national |
| 102 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $49,560 | 5% below national |
| 103 | Ann Arbor, MI | $49,540 | 5% below national |
| 104 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $49,490 | 5% below national |
| 105 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $49,480 | 5% below national |
| 106 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $49,460 | 5% below national |
| 107 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $49,370 | 6% below national |
| 108 | Toledo, OH | $49,350 | 6% below national |
| 109 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $49,310 | 6% below national |
| 110 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $49,060 | 6% below national |
| 111 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $49,020 | 6% below national |
| 112 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $48,990 | 6% below national |
| 113 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $48,870 | 6% below national |
| 114 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $48,820 | 7% below national |
| 115 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $48,780 | 7% below national |
| 116 | Ogden, UT | $48,750 | 7% below national |
| 117 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $48,720 | 7% below national |
| 118 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $48,710 | 7% below national |
| 119 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $48,690 | 7% below national |
| 120 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $48,580 | 7% below national |
| 121 | Savannah, GA | $48,560 | 7% below national |
| 122 | North Florida nonmetropolitan area | $48,560 | 7% below national |
| 123 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $48,400 | 7% below national |
| 124 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $48,360 | 7% below national |
| 125 | York-Hanover, PA | $48,340 | 8% below national |
| 126 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $48,290 | 8% below national |
| 127 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $48,150 | 8% below national |
| 128 | Akron, OH | $48,130 | 8% below national |
| 129 | Reno, NV | $48,100 | 8% below national |
| 130 | Anchorage, AK | $47,910 | 8% below national |
| 131 | Roanoke, VA | $47,880 | 8% below national |
| 132 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $47,600 | 9% below national |
| 133 | Medford, OR | $47,600 | 9% below national |
| 134 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $47,560 | 9% below national |
| 135 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $47,420 | 9% below national |
| 136 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $47,400 | 9% below national |
| 137 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $47,260 | 10% below national |
| 138 | Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area | $47,210 | 10% below national |
| 139 | Winston-Salem, NC | $47,120 | 10% below national |
| 140 | West Montana nonmetropolitan area | $47,000 | 10% below national |
| 141 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $46,970 | 10% below national |
| 142 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $46,880 | 10% below national |
| 143 | South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $46,800 | 10% below national |
| 144 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $46,790 | 10% below national |
| 145 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $46,650 | 11% below national |
| 146 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $46,530 | 11% below national |
| 147 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $46,470 | 11% below national |
| 148 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $46,400 | 11% below national |
| 149 | Tucson, AZ | $46,340 | 11% below national |
| 150 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $46,190 | 12% below national |
| 151 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $46,090 | 12% below national |
| 152 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $45,790 | 12% below national |
| 153 | Pittsburgh, PA | $45,760 | 12% below national |
| 154 | Boise City, ID | $45,710 | 13% below national |
| 155 | Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $45,560 | 13% below national |
| 156 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $45,410 | 13% below national |
| 157 | El Paso, TX | $45,320 | 13% below national |
| 158 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $45,090 | 14% below national |
| 159 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $45,060 | 14% below national |
| 160 | El Centro, CA | $44,920 | 14% below national |
| 161 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $44,380 | 15% below national |
| 162 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $44,240 | 15% below national |
| 163 | Saginaw, MI | $43,930 | 16% below national |
| 164 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $43,400 | 17% below national |
| 165 | Fort Wayne, IN | $42,880 | 18% below national |
| 166 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $42,840 | 18% below national |
| 167 | Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $42,400 | 19% below national |
| 168 | Knoxville, TN | $42,160 | 19% below national |
| 169 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $42,080 | 19% below national |
| 170 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $41,290 | 21% below national |
| 171 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $41,000 | 22% below national |
| 172 | Wilmington, NC | $39,790 | 24% below national |
| 173 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $39,620 | 24% below national |
| 174 | Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $38,420 | 26% below national |
| 175 | Fayetteville, NC | $37,610 | 28% below national |
| 176 | Laredo, TX | $36,810 | 30% below national |
| 177 | Wichita, KS | $36,400 | 30% below national |
| 178 | Oklahoma City, OK | $36,050 | 31% below national |
| 179 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $28,770 | 45% below national |
| 180 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $28,240 | 46% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 43 (office and administrative support) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Cargo and Freight Agents make? ▼
What state pays Cargo and Freight Agents the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Cargo and Freight Agents? ▼
How dangerous is being a Cargo and Freight Agents? ▼
Is Cargo and Freight Agents a good career? ▼
How does Cargo and Freight Agents pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Cargo and Freight Agents? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Cargo and Freight Agents pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $63,390/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $76,250/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.