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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

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)
96,510 2.5 % $ 22.68 $ 47,170 0.9 %

Percentile wage estimates for Cargo and Freight Agents:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 13.36 $ 16.54 $ 21.04 $ 26.95 $ 33.60
Annual Wage (2) $ 27,780 $ 34,400 $ 43,770 $ 56,060 $ 69,890


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 53,930 23.12 $ 23.61 $ 49,110
Support Activities for Air Transportation 8,190 3.95 $ 18.27 $ 38,010
Couriers and Express Delivery Services 6,110 0.79 $ 22.12 $ 46,010
Truck Transportation 6,070 0.41 $ 22.80 $ 47,420
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 4,680 0.31 $ 21.52 $ 44,750

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 53,930 23.12 $ 23.61 $ 49,110
Support Activities for Air Transportation 8,190 3.95 $ 18.27 $ 38,010
Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation 710 1.95 $ 25.37 $ 52,770
Support Activities for Water Transportation 990 1.12 $ 28.12 $ 58,480
Couriers and Express Delivery Services 6,110 0.79 $ 22.12 $ 46,010

Top paying industries for Cargo and Freight Agents:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Office Administrative Services 70 0.02 $ 28.22 $ 58,700
Support Activities for Water Transportation 990 1.12 $ 28.12 $ 58,480
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 280 0.01 $ 28.03 $ 58,310
Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers 100 0.02 $ 27.58 $ 57,370
Computer Systems Design and Related Services (8) (8) $ 26.19 $ 54,480


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.





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 13,100 0.80 1.15 $ 23.93 $ 49,780
Texas 9,530 0.79 1.13 $ 20.92 $ 43,520
Florida 8,890 1.05 1.52 $ 21.40 $ 44,520
Illinois 7,150 1.27 1.83 $ 22.61 $ 47,020
New York 6,400 0.74 1.06 $ 26.35 $ 54,810




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 1,190 2.07 2.98 $ 17.78 $ 36,990
Kentucky 2,570 1.44 2.08 $ 21.33 $ 44,360
Alaska 410 1.37 1.97 $ 21.29 $ 44,290
Illinois 7,150 1.27 1.83 $ 22.61 $ 47,020
Florida 8,890 1.05 1.52 $ 21.40 $ 44,520




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)
Rhode Island 170 0.38 0.55 $ 27.68 $ 57,580
Minnesota 1,390 0.51 0.74 $ 27.04 $ 56,250
New York 6,400 0.74 1.06 $ 26.35 $ 54,810
Maine 150 0.26 0.37 $ 26.16 $ 54,420
Montana 400 0.88 1.28 $ 25.47 $ 52,980





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 8,060 1.38 1.99 $ 24.66 $ 51,290
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 7,030 1.61 2.32 $ 22.63 $ 47,080
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 6,890 0.78 1.12 $ 26.76 $ 55,660
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 5,570 2.22 3.20 $ 21.19 $ 44,080
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,440 0.96 1.38 $ 21.26 $ 44,220
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 2,690 0.90 1.30 $ 21.34 $ 44,380
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 2,480 1.40 2.01 $ 21.41 $ 44,540
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 2,250 0.85 1.23 $ 22.78 $ 47,380
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,830 0.79 1.13 $ 25.54 $ 53,130
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 1,820 1.77 2.55 $ 21.60 $ 44,930




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 1,220 12.34 17.78 $ 16.83 $ 35,010
Charleston-North Charleston, SC 880 2.56 3.69 $ 22.03 $ 45,820
Bellingham, WA 190 2.41 3.47 $ 20.83 $ 43,330
Medford, OR 190 2.27 3.27 $ 25.16 $ 52,340
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 5,570 2.22 3.20 $ 21.19 $ 44,080
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN 1,300 2.12 3.05 $ 21.11 $ 43,900
Savannah, GA 340 1.98 2.85 $ 21.78 $ 45,300
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY 940 1.88 2.72 $ 20.44 $ 42,510
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 1,820 1.77 2.55 $ 21.60 $ 44,930
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO 430 1.73 2.49 $ 22.17 $ 46,120




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)
Yakima, WA 50 0.57 0.81 $ 34.90 $ 72,590
St. Cloud, MN 50 0.47 0.68 $ 32.38 $ 67,360
Springfield, MO 170 0.83 1.19 $ 28.68 $ 59,660
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 950 1.31 1.89 $ 28.38 $ 59,030
Visalia-Porterville, CA 40 0.25 0.35 $ 28.22 $ 58,700
Rapid City, SD (8) (8) (8) $ 27.14 $ 56,450
Portland-South Portland, ME 70 0.36 0.52 $ 26.88 $ 55,900
Billings, MT 130 1.57 2.26 $ 26.77 $ 55,690
Green Bay, WI 160 0.99 1.43 $ 26.76 $ 55,660
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 6,890 0.78 1.12 $ 26.76 $ 55,660

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 1.62 2.33 $ 19.80 $ 41,170
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 120 0.52 0.76 $ 17.38 $ 36,160
Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area 110 0.86 1.24 $ 19.66 $ 40,890
Arizona nonmetropolitan area 100 1.13 1.63 $ 19.98 $ 41,560
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 80 0.34 0.49 $ 32.90 $ 68,430

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)
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area 220 1.62 2.33 $ 19.80 $ 41,170
Arizona nonmetropolitan area 100 1.13 1.63 $ 19.98 $ 41,560
Northwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area 60 0.95 1.37 $ 17.91 $ 37,250
Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area 110 0.86 1.24 $ 19.66 $ 40,890
East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 50 0.84 1.20 $ 20.55 $ 42,750

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 80 0.34 0.49 $ 32.90 $ 68,430
Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area 40 0.25 0.36 $ 26.24 $ 54,570
Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area 30 0.26 0.37 $ 25.48 $ 53,000
Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 23.84 $ 49,590
East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 60 0.45 0.66 $ 23.44 $ 48,760


About May 2020 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 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021