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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

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)
93,480 2.0 % $ 23.91 $ 49,740 0.8 %

Percentile wage estimates for Cargo and Freight Agents:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 15.73 $ 18.46 $ 22.53 $ 28.23 $ 33.79
Annual Wage (2) $ 32,720 $ 38,400 $ 46,860 $ 58,710 $ 70,280


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 55,310 21.07 $ 24.62 $ 51,210
Scheduled Air Transportation 8,000 1.82 $ 23.15 $ 48,140
Couriers and Express Delivery Services 6,910 0.72 $ 24.29 $ 50,510
Truck Transportation 6,280 0.40 $ 24.88 $ 51,750
Support Activities for Air Transportation 5,780 2.56 $ 17.76 $ 36,930

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 55,310 21.07 $ 24.62 $ 51,210
Support Activities for Air Transportation 5,780 2.56 $ 17.76 $ 36,930
Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation 720 2.00 $ 32.78 $ 68,180
Scheduled Air Transportation 8,000 1.82 $ 23.15 $ 48,140
Nonscheduled Air Transportation 620 1.18 $ 23.42 $ 48,700

Top paying industries for Cargo and Freight Agents:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation 720 2.00 $ 32.78 $ 68,180
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) 50 0.01 $ 30.95 $ 64,370
Rail Transportation 40 0.02 $ 30.35 $ 63,130
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 270 0.01 $ 29.62 $ 61,600
Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) 190 0.01 $ 27.47 $ 57,140


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 2022


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 11,520 0.65 1.03 $ 25.03 $ 52,060
Texas 10,080 0.78 1.23 $ 20.78 $ 43,210
Florida 8,920 0.97 1.53 $ 24.23 $ 50,400
Illinois 7,470 1.27 2.01 $ 25.87 $ 53,810
New York 5,160 0.57 0.90 $ 27.09 $ 56,350


Map of location quotient of cargo and freight agents by state, May 2022


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 1,530 2.57 4.07 $ 20.70 $ 43,060
Alaska 560 1.85 2.92 $ 24.67 $ 51,310
Kentucky 2,620 1.38 2.19 $ 23.02 $ 47,890
Illinois 7,470 1.27 2.01 $ 25.87 $ 53,810
South Carolina 2,380 1.10 1.75 $ 21.80 $ 45,340


Map of annual mean wages of cargo and freight agents by state, May 2022


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 400 0.25 0.39 $ 34.35 $ 71,440
South Dakota 290 0.66 1.05 $ 29.16 $ 60,660
Oregon 960 0.51 0.80 $ 28.06 $ 58,360
New York 5,160 0.57 0.90 $ 27.09 $ 56,350
Montana 340 0.69 1.09 $ 26.78 $ 55,690



Map of employment of cargo and freight agents by area, May 2022


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 7,340 1.20 1.90 $ 25.12 $ 52,250
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 6,850 1.55 2.46 $ 26.08 $ 54,240
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 6,470 0.70 1.11 $ 27.50 $ 57,190
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 4,330 1.65 2.61 $ 24.20 $ 50,330
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,610 0.95 1.50 $ 21.25 $ 44,200
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 3,540 1.16 1.83 $ 21.22 $ 44,130
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 2,270 1.02 1.62 $ 19.83 $ 41,240
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 2,170 0.80 1.26 $ 25.13 $ 52,270
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 1,870 0.99 1.57 $ 24.74 $ 51,460
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 1,700 1.61 2.54 $ 22.35 $ 46,480


Map of location quotient of cargo and freight agents by area, May 2022


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 880 8.67 13.72 $ 17.52 $ 36,440
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI 240 3.26 5.16 $ 20.19 $ 41,990
Charleston-North Charleston, SC 1,020 2.88 4.55 $ 23.51 $ 48,910
Urban Honolulu, HI 980 2.31 3.65 $ 20.63 $ 42,920
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN 1,420 2.21 3.50 $ 22.28 $ 46,340
Anchorage, AK 340 2.07 3.27 $ 22.90 $ 47,630
Bellingham, WA 180 2.01 3.18 $ 22.79 $ 47,400
Memphis, TN-MS-AR 1,210 1.94 3.07 $ 21.85 $ 45,440
Billings, MT 160 1.80 2.85 $ 27.88 $ 57,980
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO 450 1.78 2.81 $ 22.78 $ 47,380


Map of annual mean wages of cargo and freight agents by area, May 2022


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 160 0.40 0.63 $ 40.01 $ 83,230
Yakima, WA 30 0.33 0.52 $ 33.22 $ 69,100
Medford, OR 120 1.34 2.13 $ 32.00 $ 66,550
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 90 0.16 0.26 $ 30.64 $ 63,730
Rapid City, SD 70 1.01 1.60 $ 29.33 $ 61,010
Sioux Falls, SD 130 0.79 1.24 $ 28.22 $ 58,690
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 530 0.18 0.28 $ 28.18 $ 58,610
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,280 0.54 0.85 $ 27.92 $ 58,060
Billings, MT 160 1.80 2.85 $ 27.88 $ 57,980
Portland-South Portland, ME 100 0.50 0.79 $ 27.77 $ 57,760

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)
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 310 3.21 5.07 $ 21.32 $ 44,340
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area 210 1.50 2.37 $ 21.16 $ 44,010
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 160 1.53 2.43 $ 28.89 $ 60,080
South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area 100 1.06 1.68 $ 25.29 $ 52,590
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 90 0.42 0.66 $ 20.96 $ 43,590

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 310 3.21 5.07 $ 21.32 $ 44,340
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 160 1.53 2.43 $ 28.89 $ 60,080
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area 210 1.50 2.37 $ 21.16 $ 44,010
Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 80 1.33 2.10 $ 19.88 $ 41,340
Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area 70 1.08 1.71 $ 22.51 $ 46,830

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)
East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 70 0.56 0.89 $ 30.08 $ 62,560
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 160 1.53 2.43 $ 28.89 $ 60,080
Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 70 0.49 0.78 $ 26.19 $ 54,480
South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area 100 1.06 1.68 $ 25.29 $ 52,590
South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 40 0.19 0.30 $ 24.97 $ 51,930


About May 2022 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.

(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 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023