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Cargo and Freight Agents: Job Description
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.
What Tasks Do Cargo and Freight Agents Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of cargo and freight agents include:
- 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
Top cargo and freight agents combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- 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 about 1,998,430 cargo and freight agents working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +8.2% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Cargo and Freight Agents Make?
| 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 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings 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 |
Top Metro Areas
| 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 |
Top Industries Employing Cargo and Freight Agents
The bulk of cargo and freight agents work in 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 |
Cargo and Freight Agents work in the following industries:
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)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for cargo and freight agents is shaped by 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
Education and Training
Typical 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), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
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)
References
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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