Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders Career, Salary and Skills
Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $58,870 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 10,700. Wage data is published for 58 locations.
Occupation description
Load and unload chemicals and bulk solids, such as coal, sand, and grain, into or from tank cars, trucks, or ships, using material moving equipment. May perform a variety of other tasks relating to shipment of products. May gauge or sample shipping tanks and test them for leaks.
O*NET code
53-7121.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$58,870
Hourly median
$28.30
Employment
10,700
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.75 | 3.38 |
| Operation and Control | 3.75 | 3.25 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Time Management | 3.12 | 2.88 |
| Writing | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Speaking | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Active Listening | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Monitoring | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.00 | 2.88 |
Typical tasks
- Verify tank car, barge, or truck load numbers to ensure car placement accuracy based on written or verbal instructions.
- Start pumps and adjust valves or cables to regulate the flow of products to vessels, using knowledge of loading procedures.
- Check conditions and weights of vessels to ensure cleanliness and compliance with loading procedures.
- Observe positions of cars passing loading spouts, and swing spouts into the correct positions at the appropriate times.
- Monitor product movement to and from storage tanks, coordinating activities with other workers to ensure constant product flow.
- Operate ship loading and unloading equipment, conveyors, hoists, and other specialized material handling equipment such as railroad tank car unloading equipment.
- Record operating data such as products and quantities pumped, gauge readings, and operating times, manually or using computers.
- Seal outlet valves on tank cars, barges, and trucks.
Technology
- CompuWeigh GMS
- Distributed control system DCS
- Linux
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- SAP software
- Warehouse management system WMS
Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders Salary in TXMedian $61,170 · Employment 1,620
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $61,420 · Employment 1,460
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders Salary in Houston, TXMedian $61,220 · Employment 970
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders Salary in OHMedian $57,700 · Employment 820
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders Salary in LAMedian $58,900 · Employment 500
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders Salary in FLMedian $45,540 · Employment 430
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders Salary in St. Louis, MOMedian $60,950 · Employment 320
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders Salary in NDMedian $61,210 · Employment 310
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders Salary in INMedian $44,310 · Employment 250
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders Salary in NCMedian $44,910 · Employment 240
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders Salary in ALMedian $75,450 · Employment 240
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders Salary in New Orleans, LAMedian $62,200 · Employment 210
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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.