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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

43-5011 Cargo and Freight Agents

Expedite and route movement of incoming and outgoing cargo and freight shipments in airline, train, and trucking terminals and shipping docks. Take orders from customers and arrange pickup of freight and cargo for delivery to loading platform. Prepare and examine bills of lading to determine shipping charges and tariffs.


National estimates for Cargo and Freight Agents
Industry profile for Cargo and Freight Agents
Geographic profile for Cargo and Freight Agents

National estimates for Cargo and Freight Agents:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Cargo and Freight Agents:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
85,750 2.2 % $ 23.28 $ 48,420 1.1 %

Percentile wage estimates for Cargo and Freight Agents:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 14.43 $ 17.80 $ 22.55 $ 28.55 $ 33.39
Annual Wage (2) $ 30,020 $ 37,020 $ 46,910 $ 59,380 $ 69,450


Industry profile for Cargo and Freight Agents:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Cargo and Freight Agents are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Cargo and Freight Agents, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Cargo and Freight Agents:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Freight Transportation Arrangement 52,450 22.52 $ 23.80 $ 49,490
Couriers and Express Delivery Services 7,570 0.82 $ 23.08 $ 48,000
Scheduled Air Transportation 7,080 1.81 $ 22.58 $ 46,970
Support Activities for Air Transportation 5,130 2.63 $ 17.15 $ 35,660
Truck Transportation 3,600 0.24 $ 26.52 $ 55,170

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Cargo and Freight Agents:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Freight Transportation Arrangement 52,450 22.52 $ 23.80 $ 49,490
Support Activities for Air Transportation 5,130 2.63 $ 17.15 $ 35,660
Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation 830 2.57 $ 28.01 $ 58,260
Nonscheduled Air Transportation 960 1.97 $ 17.31 $ 36,000
Scheduled Air Transportation 7,080 1.81 $ 22.58 $ 46,970

Top paying industries for Cargo and Freight Agents:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 270 0.01 $ 28.65 $ 59,590
Support Activities for Water Transportation 800 0.89 $ 28.10 $ 58,450
Other Support Activities for Transportation 80 0.24 $ 28.03 $ 58,310
Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation 830 2.57 $ 28.01 $ 58,260
Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers (8) (8) $ 27.12 $ 56,410


Geographic profile for Cargo and Freight Agents:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Cargo and Freight Agents are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Cargo and Freight Agents, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of cargo and freight agents by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Cargo and Freight Agents:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 12,630 0.76 1.26 $ 24.69 $ 51,350
Florida 9,000 1.05 1.72 $ 22.67 $ 47,150
Texas 8,600 0.70 1.16 $ 22.14 $ 46,060
Illinois 7,550 1.34 2.21 $ 23.99 $ 49,900
New York 5,790 0.67 1.10 $ 25.87 $ 53,810


Map of location quotient of cargo and freight agents by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Cargo and Freight Agents:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii 980 1.79 2.94 $ 18.29 $ 38,040
Kentucky 2,530 1.38 2.26 $ 22.56 $ 46,920
Illinois 7,550 1.34 2.21 $ 23.99 $ 49,900
Alaska 370 1.26 2.07 $ 25.96 $ 54,000
Florida 9,000 1.05 1.72 $ 22.67 $ 47,150


Map of annual mean wages of cargo and freight agents by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Cargo and Freight Agents:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Connecticut 590 0.38 0.62 $ 34.47 $ 71,700
Maine 130 0.23 0.37 $ 27.66 $ 57,540
South Dakota 200 0.48 0.79 $ 27.04 $ 56,240
Oregon 1,030 0.57 0.93 $ 26.66 $ 55,450
Massachusetts 890 0.26 0.43 $ 26.44 $ 55,000



Map of employment of cargo and freight agents by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Cargo and Freight Agents:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 7,430 1.30 2.13 $ 25.33 $ 52,680
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 7,200 1.70 2.80 $ 23.96 $ 49,840
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 6,340 0.73 1.20 $ 26.92 $ 55,990
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 4,940 2.02 3.31 $ 22.63 $ 47,060
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,100 0.86 1.42 $ 22.36 $ 46,500
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 2,800 0.97 1.59 $ 24.52 $ 51,010
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 1,980 1.94 3.18 $ 21.96 $ 45,680
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,760 0.79 1.29 $ 26.77 $ 55,690
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 1,670 0.93 1.53 $ 21.40 $ 44,520
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,670 0.65 1.06 $ 23.91 $ 49,720


Map of location quotient of cargo and freight agents by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Cargo and Freight Agents:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Laredo, TX 1,060 10.91 17.92 $ 15.90 $ 33,070
Bellingham, WA 180 2.17 3.57 $ 21.64 $ 45,020
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY 1,050 2.11 3.47 $ 19.75 $ 41,090
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 4,940 2.02 3.31 $ 22.63 $ 47,060
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 1,980 1.94 3.18 $ 21.96 $ 45,680
Memphis, TN-MS-AR 1,140 1.89 3.11 $ 20.48 $ 42,590
Medford, OR 160 1.88 3.08 $ 26.79 $ 55,730
Charleston-North Charleston, SC 630 1.85 3.03 $ 22.54 $ 46,880
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN 1,140 1.82 2.99 $ 21.22 $ 44,130
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 7,200 1.70 2.80 $ 23.96 $ 49,840


Map of annual mean wages of cargo and freight agents by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Cargo and Freight Agents:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 270 0.73 1.20 $ 38.61 $ 80,300
Yakima, WA 40 0.47 0.78 $ 32.71 $ 68,030
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 120 0.22 0.36 $ 30.78 $ 64,030
Waterbury, CT 40 0.68 1.11 $ 30.03 $ 62,460
Portland-South Portland, ME 50 0.27 0.44 $ 29.98 $ 62,360
Raleigh, NC 240 0.38 0.62 $ 29.04 $ 60,400
New Haven, CT 40 0.15 0.24 $ 28.83 $ 59,970
Worcester, MA-CT 70 0.26 0.43 $ 28.76 $ 59,810
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 6,340 0.73 1.20 $ 26.92 $ 55,990
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 30 0.10 0.17 $ 26.87 $ 55,890

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Cargo and Freight Agents:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area 220 1.61 2.64 $ 19.83 $ 41,240
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 170 1.88 3.09 $ 18.74 $ 38,980
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 120 1.19 1.95 $ 27.18 $ 56,540
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 100 0.47 0.78 $ 17.99 $ 37,430
Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 90 1.54 2.52 (8) (8)

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Cargo and Freight Agents:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 170 1.88 3.09 $ 18.74 $ 38,980
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area 220 1.61 2.64 $ 19.83 $ 41,240
Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 90 1.54 2.52 (8) (8)
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 120 1.19 1.95 $ 27.18 $ 56,540
East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 40 0.69 1.13 $ 20.59 $ 42,830

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Cargo and Freight Agents:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 60 0.24 0.40 $ 29.78 $ 61,950
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 120 1.19 1.95 $ 27.18 $ 56,540
East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 30 0.25 0.41 $ 26.81 $ 55,770
Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 30 0.24 0.40 $ 25.15 $ 52,310
Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area 50 0.37 0.61 $ 24.96 $ 51,910


About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022