Cargo and Freight Agent Salary
Cargo and Freight Agents earn a median $52,260 a year nationally. Office and Administrative Support Occupations
U.S. median
$52,260
$25.13 per hour
Range
$38,340 – $79,810
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
97,670
across the U.S.
Cargo and Freight Agent take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$44,171
per year · effective tax rate 15.5%
$3,681Monthly
$1,840Twice a month
$1,699Every 2 weeks
$21.24Hourly
- Federal income tax$4,091
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,240
- Medicare (1.45%)$758
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$44,171
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $38,340 | $18.43 | $32,986 |
| 25th percentile | $45,710 | $21.98 | $38,908 |
| Median (50th) | $52,260 | $25.13 | $44,171 |
| 75th percentile | $63,390 | $30.48 | $53,114 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $79,810 | $38.37 | $64,976 |
Best cities for cargo and freight agents (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memphis, TN | $55,930 | $47,120 | $51,118 | 1,670 |
| 2 | Cleveland, OH | $56,060 | $46,465 | $49,471 | 630 |
| 3 | Birmingham, AL | $55,700 | $44,415 | $48,465 | 520 |
| 4 | Atlanta, GA | $58,750 | $46,959 | $46,932 | 2,680 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $61,860 | $51,885 | $46,687 | 1,940 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $59,850 | $47,452 | $45,805 | 5,630 |
| 7 | Charleston, SC | $57,560 | $46,133 | $45,693 | 730 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $59,560 | $47,510 | $45,324 | 1,130 |
| 9 | Salt Lake City, UT | $56,060 | $45,668 | $45,275 | 460 |
| 10 | Kansas City, MO | $50,340 | $41,200 | $44,519 | 620 |
| 11 | Nashville, TN | $50,230 | $42,540 | $44,157 | 1,030 |
| 12 | Columbus, OH | $50,210 | $41,925 | $43,915 | 640 |
| 13 | Boston, MA | $59,330 | $47,105 | $43,509 | 700 |
| 14 | Louisville, KY | $49,480 | $40,323 | $43,324 | 1,310 |
| 15 | Jacksonville, FL | $50,740 | $42,950 | $43,172 | 720 |
| 16 | Houston, TX | $50,220 | $42,532 | $43,123 | 2,140 |
| 17 | New York, NY | $60,590 | $48,189 | $42,811 | 7,820 |
| 18 | San Francisco, CA | $60,980 | $48,676 | $42,103 | 1,960 |
| 19 | St. Louis, MO | $48,780 | $40,019 | $42,087 | 700 |
| 20 | Indianapolis, IN | $48,990 | $40,128 | $41,933 | 580 |
| 21 | Charlotte, NC | $49,720 | $40,655 | $41,762 | 1,030 |
| 22 | Los Angeles, CA | $59,010 | $47,237 | $41,595 | 10,490 |
| 23 | Washington, DC | $56,300 | $45,204 | $41,516 | 570 |
| 24 | Tampa, FL | $48,870 | $41,447 | $41,081 | 790 |
| 25 | Philadelphia, PA | $51,280 | $41,809 | $40,768 | 1,680 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- Seattle, WA — $61,860
- San Francisco, CA — $60,980
- New York, NY — $60,590
- Chicago, IL — $59,850
- Minneapolis, MN — $59,560
- Boston, MA — $59,330
- Los Angeles, CA — $59,010
- Atlanta, GA — $58,750
- Charleston, SC — $57,560
- Washington, DC — $56,300
- Cleveland, OH — $56,060
- Salt Lake City, UT — $56,060
- Memphis, TN — $55,930
- Birmingham, AL — $55,700
- San Diego, CA — $51,860
Cargo and Freight Agent salary by state
| State | Median | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $76,250 | $58,959 | $53,490 – $84,700 | 60 |
| New Hampshire | $67,660 | $56,429 | $41,190 – $85,140 | 80 |
| South Dakota | $64,340 | $53,877 | $49,730 – $80,160 | 200 |
| Nebraska | $62,500 | $50,435 | $40,630 – $82,200 | 390 |
| Washington | $60,760 | $51,001 | $48,330 – $82,290 | 2,410 |
| Rhode Island | $60,310 | $48,994 | $39,530 – $91,650 | 140 |
| New Jersey | $60,210 | $48,780 | $47,630 – $77,750 | 4,280 |
| New York | $60,040 | $47,777 | $40,590 – $82,820 | 5,760 |
| Illinois | $59,750 | $47,376 | $40,030 – $80,580 | 6,110 |
| Montana | $59,240 | $47,752 | $39,380 – $80,270 | 370 |
| Massachusetts | $58,680 | $46,615 | $49,240 – $75,860 | 820 |
| Minnesota | $58,650 | $46,840 | $46,790 – $74,480 | 1,380 |
| California | $57,690 | $46,273 | $38,430 – $83,060 | 17,060 |
| Wisconsin | $57,290 | $46,473 | $40,010 – $74,160 | 1,280 |
| South Carolina | $57,000 | $45,717 | $46,220 – $77,530 | 1,540 |
| Alabama | $54,890 | $43,805 | $40,040 – $83,510 | 1,020 |
| North Dakota | $54,230 | $45,754 | $38,530 – $98,960 | 380 |
| Utah | $52,770 | $43,172 | $37,370 – $92,670 | 590 |
| Alaska | $52,070 | $44,018 | $43,740 – $80,170 | 580 |
| Tennessee | $51,800 | $43,801 | $36,720 – $85,560 | 3,390 |
| Colorado | $51,390 | $41,919 | $43,940 – $72,760 | 850 |
| Georgia | $51,380 | $41,420 | $31,440 – $75,880 | 3,630 |
| Missouri | $50,840 | $41,578 | $33,660 – $81,770 | 1,410 |
| Arkansas | $50,500 | $41,000 | $31,350 – $67,460 | — |
| Maine | $50,340 | $40,412 | $45,520 – $67,100 | 190 |
| Indiana | $50,020 | $40,925 | $37,710 – $85,130 | 1,200 |
| Oklahoma | $49,940 | $40,605 | $31,200 – $80,620 | 300 |
| Mississippi | $49,920 | $41,026 | $35,360 – $70,530 | 260 |
| Arizona | $49,880 | $41,220 | $36,950 – $70,010 | 1,840 |
| Virginia | $49,680 | $40,055 | $40,190 – $75,010 | 1,280 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,590 | $40,503 | $36,900 – $81,970 | 2,810 |
| Ohio | $49,530 | $41,398 | $39,200 – $80,680 | 2,840 |
| Oregon | $49,420 | $38,394 | $43,730 – $74,560 | 1,290 |
| West Virginia | $49,100 | $40,151 | $36,920 – $75,650 | 130 |
| Louisiana | $48,940 | $40,421 | $27,230 – $73,360 | 840 |
| New Mexico | $48,910 | $40,343 | $38,190 – $81,180 | 110 |
| Maryland | $48,730 | $39,384 | $35,230 – $70,580 | 740 |
| Florida | $48,520 | $41,166 | $37,990 – $75,610 | 8,110 |
| Texas | $48,470 | $41,126 | $35,480 – $73,120 | 7,610 |
| Iowa | $48,370 | $39,859 | $38,610 – $75,300 | 660 |
| North Carolina | $48,000 | $39,342 | $35,990 – $68,410 | 2,520 |
| Michigan | $47,940 | $38,913 | $38,950 – $71,950 | 2,150 |
| Vermont | $47,560 | $39,235 | $42,160 – $61,320 | 80 |
| Nevada | $47,000 | $39,945 | $38,360 – $70,960 | 490 |
| Kentucky | $46,230 | $37,825 | $39,280 – $75,320 | 2,570 |
| Idaho | $45,710 | $37,594 | $39,830 – $71,170 | 300 |
| Kansas | $42,500 | $34,757 | $26,050 – $60,480 | 890 |
| Hawaii | $42,400 | $34,512 | $34,540 – $68,380 | 1,760 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cargo and freight agent make?
The national median salary for cargo and freight agents is $52,260 a year ($25.13 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $38,340 and the top 10% earn over $79,810. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays cargo and freight agents the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median pay at $76,250. After taxes and local prices, Memphis, TN offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many cargo and freight agents are there in the U.S.?
About 97,670 people work as cargo and freight agents nationwide.
All 41 cities
- Atlanta, GA
- Baltimore, MD
- Birmingham, AL
- Boston, MA
- Buffalo, NY
- Charleston, SC
- Charlotte, NC
- Chicago, IL
- Cincinnati, OH
- Cleveland, OH
- Columbus, OH
- Dallas, TX
- Denver, CO
- Detroit, MI
- Houston, TX
- Indianapolis, IN
- Jacksonville, FL
- Kansas City, MO
- Laredo, TX
- Los Angeles, CA
- Louisville, KY
- Memphis, TN
- Miami, FL
- Minneapolis, MN
- Nashville, TN
- New York, NY
- Orlando, FL
- Philadelphia, PA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Portland, OR
- Riverside, CA
- Salt Lake City, UT
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Seattle, WA
- St. Louis, MO
- Tampa, FL
- Urban Honolulu, HI
- Washington, DC
- Wichita, KS