Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 95,600 people employed as cargo and freight agents in the United States. The median annual salary is $43,800. Entry level employees earn approximately $27,780 per year and senior employees earn approximately $69,890 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• 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.
• Inspect and count items received and check them against invoices or other documents, recording shortages and rejecting damaged goods.
• Route received goods to first available flight or to appropriate storage areas or departments, using forklifts, hand trucks, or other equipment.
• Direct delivery trucks to shipping doors or designated marshaling areas and help load and unload goods safely.
• Assemble containers and crates used to transport items, such as machines or vehicles.
• Maintain a supply of packing materials.
• Direct or participate in cargo loading to ensure completeness of load and even distribution of weight.
• Pack goods for shipping, using tools such as staplers, strapping machines, and hammers.
• Attach address labels, identification codes, and shipping instructions to containers.
• Open cargo containers and unwrap contents, using steel cutters, crowbars, or other hand tools.
• 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.
• Check import or export documentation to determine cargo contents and use tariff coding system to classify goods according to fee or tariff group.
• Coordinate and supervise activities of workers engaged in packing and shipping merchandise.
• Contact vendors or claims adjustment departments to resolve shipment problems or contact service depots to arrange for repairs.

Career List