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Cargo and Freight Agents in Wisconsin

Considering working as a Cargo and Freight Agents in Wisconsin? Here’s what you need to know. 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 do Cargo and Freight Agents Make in Wisconsin?

The cargo and freight agents working in Wisconsin, the median annual wage is $57,490 per year (or about $27.64/hour).Earnings range from $37,940 at the 10th percentile to $75,810 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$37,940	$18.24
25th percentile	$49,140	$23.62
Median (50th)	$57,490	$27.64
75th percentile	$64,980	$31.24
90th percentile	$75,810	$36.45

The job concentration index in Wisconsin compared to the national average — is 0.76, meaning fewer cargo and freight agents per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, cargo and freight agents earn a median of $54,941 per year ($26.41/hour), exceeding the Wisconsin median.

Employment Outlook

There are roughly 1,998,430 cargo and freight agents nationwide. In Wisconsin alone, approximately 1,410 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 950 cargo and freight agents.

Top Wisconsin Metros for Cargo and Freight Agents

The largest metro-area employers of cargo and freight agents in Wisconsin.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	490	$59,900
Green Bay, WI	360	$52,300
Madison, WI	70	$53,990
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI	40	$57,360
Wausau, WI	40	$56,140

Top States for Cargo and Freight Agents Employment

View the states that employ the most cargo and freight agents work.

State	Number Employed
California	14,940
Texas	9,460
Illinois	6,820
Florida	6,470
New York	5,930
Ohio	3,740
North Carolina	3,710
New Jersey	3,140
Arizona	3,050
Georgia	2,910
Michigan	2,650
Washington	2,460
Pennsylvania	2,360
South Carolina	2,130
Kentucky	2,050
Minnesota	2,020
Hawaii	1,900
Missouri	1,790
Indiana	1,660
Tennessee	1,660

Highest-Paying States for Cargo and Freight Agents

The highest-paying states for cargo and freight agents.

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

Skills

Key cargo and freight agents skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Key abilities for cargo and freight agents, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Day-to-day, cargo and freight agents typically:

• 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.
• Enter shipping information into a computer by hand or by a hand-held scanner that reads bar codes on goods.
• Prepare manifests showing numbers of airplane passengers and baggage, mail, and freight weights, transmitting data to destinations.
• Arrange insurance coverage for goods.
• Install straps, braces, and padding to loads to prevent shifting or damage during shipment.

Work Activities

• Getting Information
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Documenting/Recording Information
• Handling and Moving Objects
• Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
• Controlling Machines and Processes
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Communicating with People Outside the Organization
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates

Tools & Technology

Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel In-demand technologies: Microsoft Excel

Related Careers

Careers similar to cargo and freight agents include:

• Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
• Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products
• Customs Brokers
• Logisticians
• Logistics Analysts
• Order Clerks

Also Known 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, Drop Shipment Clerk, Export Compliance Specialist, Export Coordinator, Export Specialist, Freight Agent, Freight Booker, Freight Broker.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 43-5011.00