Freight Forwarders Career, Salary and Skills
Freight Forwarders have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $52,260 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 97,670. Wage data is published for 208 locations.
Occupation description
Research rates, routings, or modes of transport for shipment of products. Maintain awareness of regulations affecting the international movement of cargo. Make arrangements for additional services, such as storage or inland transportation.
O*NET code
43-5011.01
Job zone
2
Typical education
Bachelor's Degree
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$52,260
Hourly median
$25.13
Employment
97,670
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Coordination | 3.75 | 3.38 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.75 | 3.25 |
| Monitoring | 3.50 | 3.12 |
| Active Listening | 3.38 | 3.38 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.38 | 3.38 |
| Speaking | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Writing | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Negotiation | 3.25 | 3.38 |
| Service Orientation | 3.25 | 3.12 |
Typical tasks
- Negotiate shipping rates with freight carriers.
- Arrange for special transport of sensitive cargoes, such as livestock, food, or medical supplies.
- Arrange for applicable duties, taxes, or paperwork for customs clearance.
- Inform clients of factors such as shipping options, timelines, transfers, or regulations affecting shipments.
- Prepare shipping documentation, such as bills of lading, packing lists, dock receipts, or certificates of origin.
- Prepare invoices or cost quotations for freight transportation.
- Select shipment routes, based on nature of goods shipped, transit times, or security needs.
- Complete customs paperwork.
Technology
- AESDirect
- Arcline ArcFreight
- CargoWise ediEnterprise
- CEDAS Gateway
- Email software
- IES Ecellerate
- Kewill Global Trade and Logistics
- Manufacturing resource planning MRP software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
Freight Forwarders salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Freight Forwarders Salary in CAMedian $57,690 · Employment 17,060
- Freight Forwarders Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $59,010 · Employment 10,490
- Freight Forwarders Salary in FLMedian $48,520 · Employment 8,110
- Freight Forwarders Salary in New York, NYMedian $60,590 · Employment 7,820
- Freight Forwarders Salary in TXMedian $48,470 · Employment 7,610
- Freight Forwarders Salary in ILMedian $59,750 · Employment 6,110
- Freight Forwarders Salary in NYMedian $60,040 · Employment 5,760
- Freight Forwarders Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $59,850 · Employment 5,630
- Freight Forwarders Salary in Miami, FLMedian $48,150 · Employment 4,620
- Freight Forwarders Salary in NJMedian $60,210 · Employment 4,280
- Freight Forwarders Salary in GAMedian $51,380 · Employment 3,630
- Freight Forwarders Salary in TNMedian $51,800 · Employment 3,390
Related careers
- Transportation PlannersNational median $101,110
- Light Truck DriversNational median $44,860
- Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm ProductsNational median not published
- Logistics EngineersNational median $82,320
- Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm ProductsNational median not published
- Procurement ClerksNational median $50,580
- LogisticiansNational median $82,320
- Transportation InspectorsNational median $92,100
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.