Cargo and Freight Agents: Career Profile
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.
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What Tasks Do Cargo and Freight Agents Perform?
The core tasks performed by cargo and freight agents span:
- 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.
- Advise clients on transportation and payment methods.
- Estimate freight or postal rates and record shipment costs and weights.
- Keep records of all goods shipped, received, and stored.
- Notify consignees, passengers, or customers of freight or baggage arrival and arrange for delivery.
- Retrieve stored items and trace lost shipments as necessary.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful cargo and freight agents rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Air Export Coordinator
- Air Export Specialist
- Air Freight Coordinator
- Cargo Agent
- Cargo Customer Service Agent (Cargo CS Agent)
- Cargo Router
- Cargo Warehouse Agent
- Container Coordinator
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 1,998,430 cargo and freight agents working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +8.2% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Cargo and Freight Agents
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $54,941 |
| Hourly median | $26.41 |
| 10th percentile | $35,667 |
| 25th percentile | $45,304 |
| 75th percentile | $64,578 |
| 90th percentile | $74,215 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Cargo and Freight Agents Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| South Dakota | $68,400 |
| New Jersey | $62,860 |
| Montana | $60,660 |
| Massachusetts | $59,700 |
| Nebraska | $58,160 |
| Wisconsin | $57,490 |
| New York | $57,230 |
| California | $56,100 |
| Georgia | $55,710 |
| Utah | $55,220 |
| Washington | $55,140 |
| Idaho | $53,240 |
| Alabama | $53,100 |
| Indiana | $52,040 |
| Rhode Island | $51,990 |
| New Hampshire | $51,590 |
| Colorado | $51,430 |
| South Carolina | $51,420 |
| Minnesota | $51,370 |
| Virginia | $50,560 |
| Vermont | $50,530 |
| Mississippi | $49,950 |
| Arkansas | $49,210 |
| Alaska | $49,030 |
| Kansas | $49,020 |
| Florida | $48,850 |
| Louisiana | $48,800 |
| Maine | $48,780 |
| Nevada | $48,630 |
| Illinois | $48,420 |
| Oregon | $48,290 |
| North Dakota | $48,010 |
| Tennessee | $47,950 |
| Ohio | $47,900 |
| Michigan | $47,750 |
| Maryland | $47,460 |
| North Carolina | $46,880 |
| Texas | $46,580 |
| Iowa | $46,120 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,080 |
| Oklahoma | $45,620 |
| Kentucky | $45,100 |
| New Mexico | $44,770 |
| Arizona | $42,640 |
| Hawaii | $39,720 |
| Guam | $35,350 |
| Virgin Islands | $29,130 |
| Puerto Rico | $27,670 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for cargo and freight agents differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $55,857 | 12.9% | 0.92 |
| Far Western US | $53,750 | 22.6% | 1.58 |
| Rocky Mountains | $52,180 | 2.4% | 0.62 |
| Southeast | $49,548 | 23.4% | 1.06 |
| Great Lakes | $49,346 | 17.1% | 1.29 |
| Southwest | $45,610 | 13.5% | 1.16 |
| New England | $38,483 | 1.5% | 0.36 |
| Plains States | $36,041 | 6.2% | 0.91 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | SD | $67,820 | 150 |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $66,350 | 50 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | NJ | $63,430 | 40 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $63,350 | 550 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | UT | $62,650 | 500 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $62,590 | 7,020 |
| Rapid City, SD | SD | $62,590 | 30 |
| Missoula, MT | MT | $62,150 | 70 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of cargo and freight agents are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | 89,080 | $49,870 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3,870 | $50,770 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 2,300 | $50,870 |
| Wholesale Trade | 900 | $51,590 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 720 | $46,640 |
| Manufacturing | 190 | $56,800 |
| Retail Trade | 80 | n/a |
Below are examples of industries where cargo and freight agents work:
Tools and Technology
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for cargo and freight agents reflects the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Contact With Others
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Spend Time Sitting
Getting Started in This Career
Most cargo and freight agents positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (Supplemental)
- Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products (Supplemental)
- Customs Brokers (Primary-Short)
- Logisticians (Supplemental)
- Logistics Analysts (Supplemental)
- Order Clerks (Primary-Long)
- Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks (Supplemental)
- Freight Forwarders (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Students preparing for cargo and freight agents often complete programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
2 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 43-5011.00 (Cargo and Freight Agents).
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