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
+4.7%
2024→2025
$79,810
Top 10% earn
+8.5%
Growth '24–'34
97,670
Estimated US jobs

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 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is District of Columbia ($76,250).

43 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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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 2034.

$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.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Cargo and Freight Agents moved from $43,740 in May 2019 to $52,260 in May 2025 (+19.5%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Cargo and Freight Agents sits -5.0 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Cargo and Freight Agents (SOC 43-5011) has a national median of $52,260 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $38,340 to $79,810, and the published mean is $57,230. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 97,670 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 51 state or territory areas and 180 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $49,900 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $52,260 in May 2025, a rise of $2,360 (+4.7%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +8.5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as much faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 8,800 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as short-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Office and Administrative Support Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

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 highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Lake Charles, LA at $68,080. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 97,670 jobs Median $52,260/yr

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

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

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.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 (this entry) 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$52,260 · 38th percentile of 825 US occupations

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. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $30000$40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 -20%-10%0%10% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Customer Service Rep… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -5.5% · Median annual wage: $44770Office Clerks, General - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -6.7% · Median annual wage: $45010Secretaries and Admi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.6% · Median annual wage: $47540First-Line Superviso… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.3% · Median annual wage: $69500Bookkeeping, Account… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -5.8% · Median annual wage: $50670Medical Secretaries … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.2% · Median annual wage: $45930Shipping, Receiving,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -7.7% · Median annual wage: $45260Executive Secretarie… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.6% · Median annual wage: $76590Billing and Posting … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.4% · Median annual wage: $48500Production, Planning… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.8% · Median annual wage: $59650Tellers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -12.9% · Median annual wage: $43030Postal Service Mail … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -3.5% · Median annual wage: $60550Hotel, Motel, and Re… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.7% · Median annual wage: $35070Insurance Claims and… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -3.7% · Median annual wage: $49230Dispatchers, Except … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.9% · Median annual wage: $50340Office and Administr… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -7.8% · Median annual wage: $45670Court, Municipal, an… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3% · Median annual wage: $48700Loan Interviewers an… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -2.3% · Median annual wage: $50020Bill and Account Col… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -10.5% · Median annual wage: $47030Legal Secretaries an… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -5.8% · Median annual wage: $55570Eligibility Intervie… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1% · Median annual wage: $54210Payroll and Timekeep… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -16.7% · Median annual wage: $58260Interviewers, Except… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -11.6% · Median annual wage: $45920Cargo and Freight Agents - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 8.5% · Median annual wage: $52260
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.
Read the chart as text
  • Customer Service Rep…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.5%, Median annual wage $44770
  • Office Clerks, General: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.7%, Median annual wage $45010
  • Secretaries and Admi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $47540
  • First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.3%, Median annual wage $69500
  • Bookkeeping, Account…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.8%, Median annual wage $50670
  • Medical Secretaries …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.2%, Median annual wage $45930
  • Shipping, Receiving,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -7.7%, Median annual wage $45260
  • Executive Secretarie…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $76590
  • Billing and Posting …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.4%, Median annual wage $48500
  • Production, Planning…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.8%, Median annual wage $59650
  • Tellers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -12.9%, Median annual wage $43030
  • Postal Service Mail …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.5%, Median annual wage $60550
  • Hotel, Motel, and Re…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.7%, Median annual wage $35070
  • Insurance Claims and…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.7%, Median annual wage $49230
  • Dispatchers, Except …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.9%, Median annual wage $50340
  • Office and Administr…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -7.8%, Median annual wage $45670
  • Court, Municipal, an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $48700
  • Loan Interviewers an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.3%, Median annual wage $50020
  • Bill and Account Col…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.5%, Median annual wage $47030
  • Legal Secretaries an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.8%, Median annual wage $55570
  • Eligibility Intervie…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1%, Median annual wage $54210
  • Payroll and Timekeep…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -16.7%, Median annual wage $58260
  • Interviewers, Except…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -11.6%, Median annual wage $45920
  • Cargo and Freight Agents: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.5%, Median annual wage $52260

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)

Employment Change

+8,600

100,600 (2024) → 109,200 (2034)

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 →
Group

Office and Administrative Support Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

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

Speaking 3.6
Active Listening 3.5
Reading Comprehension 3.3
Critical Thinking 3.3
Negotiation 3.1
Time Management 3.1
Writing 3.0
Monitoring 3.0
Social Perceptiveness 3.0
Coordination 3.0

Knowledge Areas

Transportation 4.6
Geography 4.5
Public Safety and Security 4.0
English Language 3.9
Administration and Management 3.9
Education and Training 3.5
Law and Government 3.5
Telecommunications 3.4
Administrative 3.4
Customer and Personal Service 3.4

Key Tasks

  • Negotiate and arrange transport of goods with shipping or freight companies.
  • Determine method of shipment and prepare bills of lading, invoices, and other shipping documents.
  • Track delivery progress of shipments.
  • Prepare manifests showing numbers of airplane passengers and baggage, mail, and freight weights, transmitting data to destinations.
  • Advise clients on transportation and payment methods.
  • Arrange insurance coverage for goods.
  • Estimate freight or postal rates and record shipment costs and weights.
  • Install straps, braces, and padding to loads to prevent shifting or damage during shipment.
  • Keep records of all goods shipped, received, and stored.
  • Notify consignees, passengers, or customers of freight or baggage arrival and arrange for delivery.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$38,340
25th$45,710
Median$52,260
75th$63,390
90th$79,810

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$18.43
25th$21.98
Median$25.13
75th$30.48
90th$38.37

Cargo and Freight Agents pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$40,000$45,000$50,000$55,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $41,870National median - 2016: $41,920National median - 2017: $41,820National median - 2018: $43,210National median - 2019: $43,740National median - 2020: $43,770National median - 2021: $46,910National median - 2022: $46,860National median - 2023: $48,330National median - 2024: $49,900National median - 2025: $52,260$52,260
National median annual wage for Cargo and Freight Agents, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $41,870
2016 $41,920
2017 $41,820
2018 $43,210
2019 $43,740
2020 $43,770
2021 $46,910
2022 $46,860
2023 $48,330
2024 $49,900
2025 $52,260

2015 median

$41,870

2025 median

$52,260

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$8,520 (+19.5%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+3%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Cargo and Freight Agents by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $41,870 First banked release 81,120
May 2016 $41,920 +0.1% 88,920
May 2017 $41,820 -0.2% 89,920
May 2018 $43,210 +3.3% 92,280
May 2019 $43,740 Classification break 95,810
May 2020 $43,770 +0.1% 96,510
May 2021 $46,910 +7.2% 85,750
May 2022 $46,860 -0.1% 93,480
May 2023 $48,330 +3.1% 105,220
May 2024 $49,900 +3.2% 97,800
May 2025 $52,260 +4.7% 97,670

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $41,870 in May 2015 to $52,260 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 95,810 in May 2019 to 97,670 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

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

View all 157 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Lake Charles, LA $68,080 +30% above national
2 Tulsa, OK $67,140 +28% above national
3 Rapid City, SD $65,440 +25% above national
4 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $65,320 +25% above national
5 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $64,580 +24% above national
6 New Haven, CT $63,380 +21% above national
7 Albuquerque, NM $63,010 +21% above national
8 Missoula, MT $63,010 +21% above national
9 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $62,950 +20% above national
10 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $62,830 +20% above national
11 Omaha, NE-IA $62,240 +19% above national
12 Syracuse, NY $62,100 +19% above national
13 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $61,860 +18% above national
14 Vallejo, CA $61,560 +18% above national
15 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $60,980 +17% above national
16 Great Falls, MT $60,810 +16% above national
17 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $60,590 +16% above national
18 Corpus Christi, TX $60,500 +16% above national
19 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $60,330 +15% above national
20 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $60,260 +15% above national
21 Lincoln, NE $60,120 +15% above national
22 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $59,980 +15% above national
23 Portland-South Portland, ME $59,970 +15% above national
24 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $59,890 +15% above national
25 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $59,850 +15% above national
26 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $59,750 +14% above national
27 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $59,660 +14% above national
28 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $59,650 +14% above national
29 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $59,610 +14% above national
30 Fargo, ND-MN $59,580 +14% above national
31 Cedar Rapids, IA $59,570 +14% above national
32 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $59,560 +14% above national
33 Madison, WI $59,460 +14% above national
34 Reading, PA $59,450 +14% above national
35 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $59,330 +14% above national
36 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $59,320 +14% above national
37 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $59,310 +13% above national
38 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $59,010 +13% above national
39 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $58,750 +12% above national
40 Stockton-Lodi, CA $58,690 +12% above national
41 Dothan, AL $58,610 +12% above national
42 Peoria, IL $58,540 +12% above national
43 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $58,460 +12% above national
44 Bozeman, MT $58,290 +12% above national
45 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $57,560 +10% above national
46 Fairbanks-College, AK $57,480 +10% above national
47 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $57,440 +10% above national
48 Bellingham, WA $57,090 +9% above national
49 Port St. Lucie, FL $56,960 +9% above national
50 Greeley, CO $56,940 +9% above national
51 Spartanburg, SC $56,410 +8% above national
52 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $56,300 +8% above national
53 Cleveland, OH $56,060 +7% above national
54 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $56,060 +7% above national
55 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $55,930 +7% above national
56 Birmingham, AL $55,700 +7% above national
57 St. Cloud, MN $55,350 +6% above national
58 Columbia, SC $55,070 +5% above national
59 Jackson, MS $54,890 +5% above national
60 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $54,820 +5% above national
61 Salinas, CA $54,490 +4% above national
62 Visalia, CA $54,430 +4% above national
63 Springfield, MA $54,310 +4% above national
64 Tallahassee, FL $54,200 +4% above national
65 Mobile, AL $54,110 +4% above national
66 Green Bay, WI $53,820 +3% above national
67 Lubbock, TX $53,190 +2% above national
68 Rochester, NY $52,270 same as national
69 Terre Haute, IN $52,210 same as national
70 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $51,860 1% below national
71 Kennewick-Richland, WA $51,760 1% below national
72 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $51,570 1% below national
73 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $51,390 2% below national
74 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $51,280 2% below national
75 Baton Rouge, LA $51,230 2% below national
76 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $51,110 2% below national
77 Evansville, IN $50,850 3% below national
78 Jacksonville, FL $50,740 3% below national
79 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $50,680 3% below national
80 Kansas City, MO-KS $50,340 4% below national
81 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $50,330 4% below national
82 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $50,260 4% below national
83 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $50,240 4% below national
84 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $50,230 4% below national
85 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $50,220 4% below national
86 Columbus, OH $50,210 4% below national
87 Fresno, CA $50,150 4% below national
88 Salem, OR $50,100 4% below national
89 Bend, OR $49,990 4% below national
90 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $49,860 5% below national
91 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $49,720 5% below national
92 Richmond, VA $49,640 5% below national
93 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $49,560 5% below national
94 Ann Arbor, MI $49,540 5% below national
95 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $49,490 5% below national
96 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $49,480 5% below national
97 Chattanooga, TN-GA $49,460 5% below national
98 Toledo, OH $49,350 6% below national
99 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $49,310 6% below national
100 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $49,060 6% below national
101 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $48,990 6% below national
102 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $48,870 6% below national
103 St. Louis, MO-IL $48,780 7% below national
104 Ogden, UT $48,750 7% below national
105 Raleigh-Cary, NC $48,720 7% below national
106 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $48,710 7% below national
107 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $48,690 7% below national
108 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $48,580 7% below national
109 Savannah, GA $48,560 7% below national
110 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $48,360 7% below national
111 York-Hanover, PA $48,340 8% below national
112 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $48,290 8% below national
113 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $48,150 8% below national
114 Akron, OH $48,130 8% below national
115 Reno, NV $48,100 8% below national
116 Anchorage, AK $47,910 8% below national
117 Roanoke, VA $47,880 8% below national
118 Greensboro-High Point, NC $47,600 9% below national
119 Medford, OR $47,600 9% below national
120 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $47,560 9% below national
121 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $47,420 9% below national
122 Youngstown-Warren, OH $47,400 9% below national
123 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $47,260 10% below national
124 Winston-Salem, NC $47,120 10% below national
125 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $46,970 10% below national
126 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $46,880 10% below national
127 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $46,790 10% below national
128 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $46,650 11% below national
129 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $46,530 11% below national
130 Fort Smith, AR-OK $46,470 11% below national
131 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $46,400 11% below national
132 Tucson, AZ $46,340 11% below national
133 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $46,190 12% below national
134 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $46,090 12% below national
135 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $45,790 12% below national
136 Pittsburgh, PA $45,760 12% below national
137 Boise City, ID $45,710 13% below national
138 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $45,410 13% below national
139 El Paso, TX $45,320 13% below national
140 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $45,060 14% below national
141 El Centro, CA $44,920 14% below national
142 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $44,380 15% below national
143 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $44,240 15% below national
144 Saginaw, MI $43,930 16% below national
145 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $43,400 17% below national
146 Fort Wayne, IN $42,880 18% below national
147 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $42,840 18% below national
148 Knoxville, TN $42,160 19% below national
149 Urban Honolulu, HI $42,080 19% below national
150 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $41,290 21% below national
151 Wilmington, NC $39,790 24% below national
152 Lexington-Fayette, KY $39,620 24% below national
153 Fayetteville, NC $37,610 28% below national
154 Laredo, TX $36,810 30% below national
155 Wichita, KS $36,400 30% below national
156 Oklahoma City, OK $36,050 31% below national
157 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $28,770 45% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 43 (Office and Administrative Support Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 53 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Office and Administrative Support Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($52,260 here) and reported employment (97,670 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Cargo and Freight Agents make?
The median annual salary for Cargo and Freight Agents is $52,260 ($25.13/hour). The salary range spans from $38,340 at the 10th percentile to $79,810 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Cargo and Freight Agents pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $52,260, Cargo and Freight Agents pay is higher than 38% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Cargo and Freight Agents the most?
District of Columbia pays the highest median salary for Cargo and Freight Agents at $76,250/year, which is +46% above the national median.
What education do Cargo and Freight Agents need?
BLS assigns Cargo and Freight Agents to High school diploma or equivalent for typical education needed for entry. Typical on-the-job training assignment: Short-term on-the-job training.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Cargo and Freight Agents?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Cargo and Freight Agents in this release. WageDex shows the Office and Administrative Support Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Cargo and Freight Agents a good career?
Employment for Cargo and Freight Agents is projected to grow 8.5% from 2024 to 2034, which is much faster than average. About 8,800 openings are projected each year.
How does Cargo and Freight Agents pay vary by state?
Cargo and Freight Agents salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia at $76,250/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $28,600/year. BLS data covers 51 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Cargo and Freight Agents?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Lake Charles, LA at $68,080/year. BLS reports a median for 157 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Cargo and Freight Agents pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $63,390/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. 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.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

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.