Cargo and Freight Agents salary in the U.S.
Cargo and Freight Agents in the U.S. earn a median of $52,260 a year ($25.13 an hour), based on BLS data for 97,670 workers.
Pay ranges from $38,340 for the lowest-paid 10% to $79,810 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $57,230, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for cargo and freight agents in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $38,340 | $18.43 |
| 25th percentile | $45,710 | $21.98 |
| Median | $52,260 | $25.13 |
| 75th percentile | $63,390 | $30.48 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $79,810 | $38.37 |
| Average (mean) | $57,230 | $27.52 |
Half of cargo and freight agents earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $4,355 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,177.50 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,010 |
| Weekly | $1,005 |
| Hourly | $25.13 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Cargo and Freight Agents salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $76,250 | 60 |
| New Hampshire | $67,660 | 80 |
| South Dakota | $64,340 | 200 |
| Nebraska | $62,500 | 390 |
| Washington | $60,760 | 2,410 |
| Rhode Island | $60,310 | 140 |
| New Jersey | $60,210 | 4,280 |
| New York | $60,040 | 5,760 |
| Illinois | $59,750 | 6,110 |
| Montana | $59,240 | 370 |
| Massachusetts | $58,680 | 820 |
| Minnesota | $58,650 | 1,380 |
| California | $57,690 | 17,060 |
| Wisconsin | $57,290 | 1,280 |
| South Carolina | $57,000 | 1,540 |
| Alabama | $54,890 | 1,020 |
| North Dakota | $54,230 | 380 |
| Utah | $52,770 | 590 |
| Alaska | $52,070 | 580 |
| Tennessee | $51,800 | 3,390 |
| Colorado | $51,390 | 850 |
| Georgia | $51,380 | 3,630 |
| Missouri | $50,840 | 1,410 |
| Arkansas | $50,500 | n/a |
| Maine | $50,340 | 190 |
| Indiana | $50,020 | 1,200 |
| Oklahoma | $49,940 | 300 |
| Mississippi | $49,920 | 260 |
| Arizona | $49,880 | 1,840 |
| Virginia | $49,680 | 1,280 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,590 | 2,810 |
| Ohio | $49,530 | 2,840 |
| Oregon | $49,420 | 1,290 |
| West Virginia | $49,100 | 130 |
| Louisiana | $48,940 | 840 |
| New Mexico | $48,910 | 110 |
| Maryland | $48,730 | 740 |
| Florida | $48,520 | 8,110 |
| Texas | $48,470 | 7,610 |
| Iowa | $48,370 | 660 |
| North Carolina | $48,000 | 2,520 |
| Michigan | $47,940 | 2,150 |
| Vermont | $47,560 | 80 |
| Nevada | $47,000 | 490 |
| Kentucky | $46,230 | 2,570 |
| Idaho | $45,710 | 300 |
| Kansas | $42,500 | 890 |
| Hawaii | $42,400 | 1,760 |
| Guam | $38,360 | 60 |
| Virgin Islands | $29,400 | n/a |
| Puerto Rico | $28,600 | 300 |
Best-paying metro areas for cargo and freight agents
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Charles, LA | $68,080 | 30 |
| Tulsa, OK | $67,140 | 130 |
| Rapid City, SD | $65,440 | 30 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $65,320 | 40 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $64,580 | 60 |
| New Haven, CT | $63,380 | 80 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $63,010 | 60 |
| Missoula, MT | $63,010 | 60 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $62,950 | 100 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $62,830 | 220 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $62,240 | 290 |
| Syracuse, NY | $62,100 | 120 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $61,860 | 1,940 |
| Vallejo, CA | $61,560 | 50 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $60,980 | 1,960 |
Metro areas with the most cargo and freight agents
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 10,490 | $59,010 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 7,820 | $60,590 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 5,630 | $59,850 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 4,620 | $48,150 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2,680 | $58,750 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,570 | $48,690 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 2,140 | $50,220 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 1,960 | $46,880 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,960 | $60,980 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1,940 | $61,860 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,680 | $51,280 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 1,670 | $55,930 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 1,530 | $46,190 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,470 | $50,240 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 1,360 | $47,260 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks | $45,260 | $21.76 |
| Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $59,650 | $28.68 |
| Postal Service Mail Carrier | $60,550 | $29.11 |
| Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance | $50,340 | $24.20 |
| Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators | $58,470 | $28.11 |
| Public Safety Telecommunicator | $53,040 | $25.50 |
| Postal Service Clerk | $62,130 | $29.87 |
| Couriers and Messengers | $39,200 | $18.85 |
| Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping | $46,380 | $22.30 |
| Meter Readers, Utilities | $48,150 | $23.15 |
| Customer Service Representative | $44,770 | $21.53 |
| Office Clerks, General | $45,010 | $21.64 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $47,540 | $22.86 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $69,500 | $33.41 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 43-5011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cargo and freight agents make in the U.S.?
The median salary for cargo and freight agents in the U.S. is $52,260 a year, or $25.13 an hour. Pay ranges from $38,340 for the lowest-paid 10% to $79,810 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cargo and freight agents make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of cargo and freight agents in the U.S. earn at least $79,810 a year. The top 25% earn $63,390 or more.
What is the starting pay for cargo and freight agents in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $38,340 a year, and a quarter of cargo and freight agents earn $45,710 or less.
How many cargo and freight agents work in the U.S.?
About 97,670 cargo and freight agents are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.