53 Series · SOC 53-7121

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$58,870
Median / year
$83,160
Top 10% earn
+4.3%
Growth '23–'33
10,700
US workers

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders earn a median of $58,870 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $58,870, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $39,460 (10th percentile) to $83,160 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 10,700 US workers. Maryland pays the most ($81,320), since pay varies by state and metro area.

53 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders earn a median of $58,870, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 46% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks #20 of 50 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 4.3% by 2033.

$58,870
Median annual wage
Top 54%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#20 of 50
in Transportation and Material Moving
2.1×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Maryland at $81,320. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders (SOC 53-7121) pays a national median of $58,870 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $39,460 at the 10th percentile to $83,160 at the 90th, with a mean of $59,970 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 10,700 Americans work in this occupation across 35 reporting states and 38 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +4.3% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,300 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is No formal educational credential 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 C for this role, with a fatality rate of 17.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 4.8 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Maryland pays the highest state median at $81,320, which is +38% above the national figure. The top metro is Billings, MT at $83,390 - 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.

BLS OEWS May 2025 10,700 jobs Median $58,870/yr

Median Salary

$58,870

per year

Median Hourly

$28.30/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$59,970

average

Employment

10,700

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$58,870 Bottom 46% higher than 46% 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–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 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.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 53-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 25 53-series occupations with growth data, Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders sits on the slower-growing side at +4.3% growth and $58,870 median pay.

Among 25 53-series occupations with growth data, Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders sits on the slower-growing side at +4.3% growth and $58,870 median pay. Scatter plot of 25 data points. $0$50000$100000$150000$200000$250000 -20%-10%0%10%20% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 25 53-series occupations with growth data, Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders sits on the slower-growing side at +4.3% growth and $58,870 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+4.3%

About average

Annual Openings

1,300

per year (projected)

Typical Education

No formal educational credential

On-the-Job Training

Short-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
C

Moderate Risk

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

17.5/100K

Injury Rate

4.8/100

Danger Index

28/100

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 Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Operations Monitoring 3.8
Operation and Control 3.8
Reading Comprehension 3.3
Time Management 3.1
Active Listening 3.0
Writing 3.0
Speaking 3.0
Critical Thinking 3.0
Monitoring 3.0
Complex Problem Solving 3.0

Knowledge Areas

Transportation 3.5
Production and Processing 3.3
English Language 3.3
Public Safety and Security 3.1
Mechanical 2.9
Education and Training 2.5
Computers and Electronics 2.5
Administrative 2.4
Chemistry 2.4
Customer and Personal Service 2.3

Key Tasks

  • ▸ Seal outlet valves on tank cars, barges, and trucks.
  • ▸ Verify tank car, barge, or truck load numbers to ensure car placement accuracy based on written or verbal instructions.
  • ▸ Connect ground cables to carry off static electricity when unloading tanker cars.
  • ▸ Start pumps and adjust valves or cables to regulate the flow of products to vessels, using knowledge of loading procedures.
  • ▸ Check conditions and weights of vessels to ensure cleanliness and compliance with loading procedures.
  • ▸ Observe positions of cars passing loading spouts, and swing spouts into the correct positions at the appropriate times.
  • ▸ Monitor product movement to and from storage tanks, coordinating activities with other workers to ensure constant product flow.
  • ▸ Copy and attach load specifications to loaded tanks.
  • ▸ Remove and replace tank car dome caps, or direct other workers in their removal and replacement.
  • ▸ Operate ship loading and unloading equipment, conveyors, hoists, and other specialized material handling equipment such as railroad tank car unloading equipment.

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

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$39,460$46,300$58,870$70,060$83,160
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$18.97$22.26$28.30$33.69$39.98
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$39,460

25th Percentile

$46,300

Median

$58,870

75th Percentile

$70,060

90th Percentile

$83,160

Salary by State

Highest Paying States

1. Maryland $81,320 2. South Carolina $80,700 3. Montana $80,070 4. Minnesota $76,620 5. Alabama $75,450

Lowest Paying States

31. Arkansas $33,800 32. Oklahoma $35,360 33. Virginia $41,190 34. Idaho $41,700 35. Indiana $44,310
View all 35 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Maryland $81,320 +38% above national
2 South Carolina $80,700 +37% above national
3 Montana $80,070 +36% above national
4 Minnesota $76,620 +30% above national
5 Alabama $75,450 +28% above national
6 Oregon $74,040 +26% above national
7 Massachusetts $71,750 +22% above national
8 New Hampshire $70,030 +19% above national
9 California $68,600 +17% above national
10 New Jersey $64,890 +10% above national
11 North Dakota $61,210 +4% above national
12 Texas $61,170 +4% above national
13 Louisiana $58,900 same as national
14 Michigan $57,900 2% below national
15 Missouri $57,750 2% below national
16 Ohio $57,700 2% below national
17 Wisconsin $57,250 3% below national
18 West Virginia $54,750 7% below national
19 Utah $53,370 9% below national
20 Kentucky $53,160 10% below national
21 Iowa $51,450 13% below national
22 Colorado $51,200 13% below national
23 Georgia $51,160 13% below national
24 New York $48,220 18% below national
25 Pennsylvania $48,120 18% below national
26 New Mexico $48,010 18% below national
27 Nebraska $46,300 21% below national
28 Florida $45,540 23% below national
29 Hawaii $45,240 23% below national
30 North Carolina $44,910 24% below national
31 Indiana $44,310 25% below national
32 Idaho $41,700 29% below national
33 Virginia $41,190 30% below national
34 Oklahoma $35,360 40% below national
35 Arkansas $33,800 43% below national

Salary by Metro Area

Highest Paying Metros

1. Billings, MT $83,390 2. Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $83,160 3. Corpus Christi, TX $81,920 4. West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $78,790 5. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $77,490

Lowest Paying Metros

34. Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area $39,760 35. Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $40,400 36. Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area $41,690 37. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $44,010 38. West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area $44,980
View all 38 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Billings, MT $83,390 +42% above national
2 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $83,160 +41% above national
3 Corpus Christi, TX $81,920 +39% above national
4 West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $78,790 +34% above national
5 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $77,490 +32% above national
6 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $76,850 +31% above national
7 South Illinois nonmetropolitan area $69,890 +19% above national
8 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $64,890 +10% above national
9 Lake Charles, LA $63,170 +7% above national
10 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $63,100 +7% above national
11 West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area $62,470 +6% above national
12 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $62,200 +6% above national
13 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $61,420 +4% above national
14 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $61,220 +4% above national
15 St. Louis, MO-IL $60,950 +4% above national
16 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $60,440 +3% above national
17 East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area $58,690 same as national
18 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $57,940 2% below national
19 East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area $57,620 2% below national
20 Columbus, OH $57,030 3% below national
21 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $55,730 5% below national
22 Charleston, WV $54,750 7% below national
23 Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area $53,680 9% below national
24 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $53,370 9% below national
25 West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $53,160 10% below national
26 Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area $51,820 12% below national
27 Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $50,680 14% below national
28 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $50,380 14% below national
29 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $50,160 15% below national
30 Baton Rouge, LA $49,700 16% below national
31 North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) $46,690 21% below national
32 Greeley, CO $46,230 21% below national
33 Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area $44,980 24% below national
34 West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area $44,980 24% below national
35 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $44,010 25% below national
36 Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area $41,690 29% below national
37 Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $40,400 31% below national
38 Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area $39,760 32% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 53 (transportation and material moving) with comparable pay and career paths.

Air Traffic Controllers

SOC 53-2021

Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors

SOC 53-1041

Aircraft Service Attendants

SOC 53-6032

Airfield Operations Specialists

SOC 53-2022

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers

SOC 53-2011
Compare Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders make? ▼
The median annual salary for Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders is $58,870 ($28.30/hour). The salary range spans from $39,460 at the 10th percentile to $83,160 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders the most? ▼
Maryland pays the highest median salary for Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders at $81,320/year, which is +38% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders is No formal educational credential. On-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training.
How dangerous is being a Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders? ▼
Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders has a safety grade of C (Moderate Risk) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 17.5 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 4.8 per 100 workers.
Is Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders a good career? ▼
Employment for Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders is projected to grow 4.3% from 2024 to 2034, which is about average. About 1,300 openings are projected each year.
How does Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders pay vary by state? ▼
Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Maryland at $81,320/year, while Indiana pays the least at $44,310/year. BLS data covers 35 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders is Billings, MT at $83,390/year. BLS reports wage data for 38 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $70,060/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: Maryland leads at $81,320/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.

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.