How To Become A Freight Broker
Matches shippers with carriers: finds the truck, negotiates the rate, arranges the load and tracks it to delivery.
Freight Broker Salary Data
Freight Broker Salary: What BLS Data Shows
Cargo and freight agents, the BLS occupation O*NET files freight brokers in, earn a median of $52,260 a year across 97,670 jobs (May 2025). The figure covers employed agents only, not brokers who run their own business.
By the Supply Chain Degree Programs editorial team Updated
The Pay Figures At A Glance
- The median is $52,260. That is for cargo and freight agents; the average is $57,230.
- The 10th to 90th percentiles run $38,340 to $79,810. Hourly, the median works out to $25.13.
- District of Columbia pays the highest state median, $76,250. Hawaii pays the lowest, $42,400.
- The best-paying industry has a median of $70,650. The best-paying metro is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, at $61,860.
- Projected change through 2035: 6.2%. Annual openings: about 9,000.
How Much Does A Freight Broker Make?
Half of all cargo and freight agents earn more than $52,260 a year and half earn less. The average, $57,230, sits above the median, and the full range runs from $38,340 at the 10th percentile to $79,810 at the 90th. On an hourly basis the median works out to $25.13.
The middle half of the occupation earns between $45,710 and $63,390, a gap of $17,680. The sections below show how far location, industry and employer type each move the number.
| Percentile | Annual Pay |
|---|---|
| 10th | $38,340 |
| 25th | $45,710 |
| Median | $52,260 |
| 75th | $63,390 |
| 90th | $79,810 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, cargo and freight agents, national. Cargo and freight agents include freight brokers, freight forwarders and logistics coordinators, all titles O*NET lists in the occupation. BLS publishes one wage for all of them, and it counts employees only, not self-employed brokers. Read 2026-09-23.
Why Freight Broker Pay Comes From The Cargo And Freight Agents Figure
O*NET lists freight broker among the job titles of cargo and freight agents, alongside air export specialist, drop shipment clerk, intermodal dispatcher, international coordinator and load planner. The wage survey publishes one figure for the whole occupation. The Occupational Outlook Handbook’s index files the freight broker title under wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives instead, which is a reminder that the title spans desk logistics and sales.
Keep in mind that the numbers count employees, so a broker who holds their own FMCSA authority and works for themselves is outside them; BLS's projections data puts the occupation's self-employed share at 0.8%.
Freight Forwarder And Logistics Coordinator Salary
Freight forwarders are a detailed O*NET occupation, 43-5011.01, inside cargo and freight agents, and logistics coordinator is one of the occupation’s listed titles, so neither has a BLS salary of its own. The closest published figure for forwarders is the industry one: in freight transportation arrangement, where forwarding firms sit and most of the occupation works, the median is $54,730 across 53,390 jobs.
For logistics coordinators, the occupation-wide figures above apply: a median of $52,260, with the middle half earning $45,710 to $63,390. The freight forwarder salary page sets forwarder pay across air, ocean and freight arrangement industries, and the freight forwarder and freight broker career guides cover how the jobs differ.
Freight Broker Salary By State
18 of the 48 states in the table pay a median above the national $52,260. District of Columbia has the highest median, $76,250, on 60 jobs. Among states with at least 5,000 jobs in the occupation, New York leads at $60,040. The lowest state median is $42,400, in Hawaii, so the top and bottom states sit $33,850 apart.
The biggest markets are California, with 17,060 jobs and a median of $57,690, and Florida, with 8,110 jobs at $48,520. BLS withholds the wage estimate for 3 states in this occupation, so the table has 48 rows.
| State | Median | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $76,250 | $53,490 | $84,700 | 60 |
| New Hampshire | $67,660 | $41,190 | $85,140 | 80 |
| South Dakota | $64,340 | $49,730 | $80,160 | 200 |
| Nebraska | $62,500 | $40,630 | $82,200 | 390 |
| Washington | $60,760 | $48,330 | $82,290 | 2,410 |
| Rhode Island | $60,310 | $39,530 | $91,650 | 140 |
| New Jersey | $60,210 | $47,630 | $77,750 | 4,280 |
| New York | $60,040 | $40,590 | $82,820 | 5,760 |
| Illinois | $59,750 | $40,030 | $80,580 | 6,110 |
| Montana | $59,240 | $39,380 | $80,270 | 370 |
| Massachusetts | $58,680 | $49,240 | $75,860 | 820 |
| Minnesota | $58,650 | $46,790 | $74,480 | 1,380 |
| California | $57,690 | $38,430 | $83,060 | 17,060 |
| Wisconsin | $57,290 | $40,010 | $74,160 | 1,280 |
| South Carolina | $57,000 | $46,220 | $77,530 | 1,540 |
| Alabama | $54,890 | $40,040 | $83,510 | 1,020 |
| North Dakota | $54,230 | $38,530 | $98,960 | 380 |
| Utah | $52,770 | $37,370 | $92,670 | 590 |
| Alaska | $52,070 | $43,740 | $80,170 | 580 |
| Tennessee | $51,800 | $36,720 | $85,560 | 3,390 |
| Colorado | $51,390 | $43,940 | $72,760 | 850 |
| Georgia | $51,380 | $31,440 | $75,880 | 3,630 |
| Missouri | $50,840 | $33,660 | $81,770 | 1,410 |
| Arkansas | $50,500 | $31,350 | $67,460 | |
| Maine | $50,340 | $45,520 | $67,100 | 190 |
| Indiana | $50,020 | $37,710 | $85,130 | 1,200 |
| Oklahoma | $49,940 | $31,200 | $80,620 | 300 |
| Mississippi | $49,920 | $35,360 | $70,530 | 260 |
| Arizona | $49,880 | $36,950 | $70,010 | 1,840 |
| Virginia | $49,680 | $40,190 | $75,010 | 1,280 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,590 | $36,900 | $81,970 | 2,810 |
| Ohio | $49,530 | $39,200 | $80,680 | 2,840 |
| Oregon | $49,420 | $43,730 | $74,560 | 1,290 |
| West Virginia | $49,100 | $36,920 | $75,650 | 130 |
| Louisiana | $48,940 | $27,230 | $73,360 | 840 |
| New Mexico | $48,910 | $38,190 | $81,180 | 110 |
| Maryland | $48,730 | $35,230 | $70,580 | 740 |
| Florida | $48,520 | $37,990 | $75,610 | 8,110 |
| Texas | $48,470 | $35,480 | $73,120 | 7,610 |
| Iowa | $48,370 | $38,610 | $75,300 | 660 |
| North Carolina | $48,000 | $35,990 | $68,410 | 2,520 |
| Michigan | $47,940 | $38,950 | $71,950 | 2,150 |
| Vermont | $47,560 | $42,160 | $61,320 | 80 |
| Nevada | $47,000 | $38,360 | $70,960 | 490 |
| Kentucky | $46,230 | $39,280 | $75,320 | 2,570 |
| Idaho | $45,710 | $39,830 | $71,170 | 300 |
| Kansas | $42,500 | $26,050 | $60,480 | 890 |
| Hawaii | $42,400 | $34,540 | $68,380 | 1,760 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, by state, sorted by median. A blank jobs cell means BLS withheld the employment estimate for that state (Arkansas). Read 2026-09-23.
Freight Broker Salary By Metro Area
BLS publishes a median for cargo and freight agents in 157 metropolitan areas, and 40 of them have at least 500 jobs in the occupation, enough for the median to describe a real local market. Among those, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA pays the most, at $61,860, followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $60,980.
| Metro Area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $61,860 | 1,940 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $60,980 | 1,960 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $60,590 | 7,820 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $59,850 | 5,630 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $59,560 | 1,130 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $59,330 | 700 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $59,010 | 10,490 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $58,750 | 2,680 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $57,560 | 730 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $56,300 | 570 |
The largest markets are a different list. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA has the most jobs, 10,490, at a median of $59,010, and the five biggest metros together hold 31,240 jobs, 32% of the occupation. The metros where the occupation is most concentrated relative to the local workforce are Laredo, TX (location quotient 13.01), Memphis, TN-MS-AR (location quotient 4.34) and Urban Honolulu, HI (location quotient 3.49).
Treat the metro figures as nominal pay. OEWS wages are not adjusted for local living costs, so a high median in an expensive metro and a lower one in a cheaper metro can leave a worker with similar purchasing power. Housing and other costs vary enough between metros that the ranking above is a ranking of paychecks, not of standards of living.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, metropolitan area estimates. Ranked only among metros with at least 500 jobs in the occupation. A location quotient compares the occupation's share of local jobs with its share of jobs nationally. Read 2026-09-24.
Top-Paying Industries For Freight Brokers
BLS publishes the occupation's pay in 27 industries. Among those employing at least 1,000 cargo and freight agents, the highest median is in deep sea, coastal, and great lakes water transportation, at $70,650, which is $18,390 above the national figure.
| Industry | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation | $70,650 | 1,170 |
| Support Activities for Water Transportation | $60,830 | 2,480 |
| Truck Transportation | $58,260 | 4,990 |
| Couriers and Express Delivery Services | $57,660 | 9,770 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement | $54,730 | 53,390 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $53,320 | 2,420 |
Where The Jobs Are, And Where The Pay Is
The six top-paying industries above employ 74,220 cargo and freight agents between them, 76% of the occupation. The five largest employers hold 82,620, or 85%. 3 industries are on both lists: freight transportation arrangement, couriers and express delivery services, truck transportation.
| Largest Employers | Jobs | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Freight Transportation Arrangement | 53,390 | $54,730 |
| Couriers and Express Delivery Services | 9,770 | $57,660 |
| Scheduled Air Transportation | 8,440 | $49,030 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation | 6,030 | $39,190 |
| Truck Transportation | 4,990 | $58,260 |
The single largest employer, freight transportation arrangement, pays a median of $54,730. It is also one of the top-paying industries, $15,920 below the highest, so for this occupation the biggest employer and good pay coincide.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, national industry-specific estimates, by industry. Each figure is the median for cargo and freight agents working in that industry. Top-paying industries are ranked only among those with at least 1,000 jobs in the occupation. Read 2026-09-23.
What Moves Freight Broker Pay
Cargo and freight agents range from entry-level logistics coordinators and documentation clerks to experienced brokers and forwarders, all titles O*NET lists in the one occupation. Air carriers, couriers and freight arrangement firms all employ them, and the industry table shows how differently those settings pay.
Employer Type
Cargo and freight agents at private employers earn a median of $52,160, and private employers hold 100% of the occupation's jobs. Among government employers, the federal government pays the highest median, $69,100, which is $16,940 above private pay.
| Employer | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Private employers | $52,160 | 97,380 |
| Federal government | $69,100 | 250 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, national ownership estimates. State and local government include their schools and hospitals, and the federal row includes the Postal Service, as BLS defines them.
Location
The top and bottom states sit $33,850 apart at the median. Among metros with at least 500 jobs, the gap between the highest and lowest median is $25,460. Neither figure is adjusted for living costs.
Degree Level
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education for cargo and freight agents. That is an entry requirement, not a pay effect: the wage survey measures occupations, not degrees. For what a degree costs, see the rankings of bachelor’s in supply chain management and online supply chain management degrees.
How Freight Broker Pay Compares With Other Supply Chain Jobs
A supply chain degree leads to more than one occupation, and they don't pay the same. Of the 9 BLS occupations below, cargo and freight agents have the lowest median. The highest is purchasing managers, at $148,080.
| Occupation | Median | 10th To 90th | Typical Entry | Growth 2025-35 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purchasing Managers | $148,080 | $92,490 to $223,280 | Bachelor's degreeplus 5 years or more experience | 4% |
| Industrial Production Managers | $126,060 | $78,000 to $205,520 | Bachelor's degreeplus 5 years or more experience | 2.6% |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $107,230 | $65,120 to $194,900 | High school diploma or equivalentplus 5 years or more experience | 6.1% |
| Operations Research Analysts | $88,940 | $57,060 to $159,910 | Bachelor's degree | 11.9% |
| Logisticians | $82,320 | $50,890 to $133,160 | Bachelor's degree | 17.6% |
| Compliance Officers | $80,730 | $48,220 to $133,720 | Bachelor's degree | 3.8% |
| Buyers and Purchasing Agents | $77,710 | $48,380 to $128,870 | Bachelor's degree | 6% |
| Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $59,650 | $40,080 to $86,000 | High school diploma or equivalent | -1.3% |
| Cargo and Freight Agents | $52,260 | $38,340 to $79,810 | High school diploma or equivalent | 6.2% |
The spread follows seniority more than subject. The 3 highest medians belong to the 3 management occupations, and BLS says each of them typically needs 5 years or more of related work experience to enter. The other 6 are specialist occupations that BLS lists with no experience requirement at entry. The management jobs are also the ones the specialists move into: buyers become purchasing managers, and logisticians become supply chain managers, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Sources: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (pay); BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 (growth); EP Table 1.2 (typical entry education and experience).
Job Outlook For Freight Brokers
BLS projects employment of cargo and freight agents to grow from 100,300 to 106,400 over 2025 to 2035, a change of 6.2%. That's 2.7 points faster than the 3.5% projected for all occupations.
Growth is the smaller part of the hiring. BLS expects about 9,000 openings a year, and it splits them three ways: people leaving the labor force, mostly to retire; people moving into a different occupation; and new jobs from growth.
| Source Of Openings, Per Year | Openings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Workers leaving the labor force | 3,700 | 41% |
| Workers moving to other occupations | 4,700 | 52% |
| New jobs from growth | 600 | 7% |
| Total openings | 9,000 | 100% |
Replacement demand dominates: 93% of openings come from people leaving the occupation, not from new positions. Transfers outnumber retirements, so more of the openings come from cargo and freight agents moving on to other jobs than from people leaving work. Each year BLS expects 8.1% of the occupation to leave it, against 9.7% across all occupations. About 0.8% of workers in the occupation are self-employed, which is why EP's employment count runs higher than OEWS's.
What Drives Demand
BLS projects the occupation to grow a little faster than all occupations, and most of its openings will come from people leaving the occupation rather than from new jobs.
Sources: BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35; EP tables 1.10 (separations and openings) and 1.12 (factors affecting occupational utilization). The growth row is total openings minus separations. Read 2026-09-23.
Does A Supply Chain Degree Raise Your Salary?
BLS reports what an occupation pays, not what a degree pays, so there's no federal figure for "freight broker salary with a master's." Use the numbers above as the pay for the job you're aiming at. A degree matters to the extent that it gets you hired into the occupation, or promoted within it.
Cost is the part of a degree you can pin down. These rankings list tuition read from each school’s own page, so you can set a real price against the salary range here: bachelor’s in supply chain management and online supply chain management degrees.
FAQ
How Much Does A Freight Broker Make?
The median is $52,260 a year for cargo and freight agents, the BLS occupation behind this page (May 2025). The middle half of the occupation earns between $45,710 and $63,390.
What Is The Hourly Pay For Freight Brokers?
The median hourly wage for cargo and freight agents is $25.13 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How Much Do The Top-Paid Freight Brokers Make?
The 90th percentile for cargo and freight agents is $79,810 a year, so one in ten earns more than that. The 75th percentile is $63,390.
Which State Pays Freight Brokers The Most?
District of Columbia has the highest state median, $76,250, on 60 jobs. Among states with at least 5,000 jobs in the occupation, New York is highest at $60,040.
Which City Pays Freight Brokers The Most?
Among metro areas with at least 500 jobs in the occupation, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA has the highest median, $61,860. The figure is not adjusted for living costs.
Which Industry Pays Freight Brokers The Most?
Among industries employing at least 1,000 cargo and freight agents, deep sea, coastal, and great lakes water transportation pays the highest median, $70,650.
Do Government Freight Brokers Earn More Than Private-Sector Ones?
Cargo and freight agents in the federal government earn a median of $69,100, against $52,160 at private employers (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Federal pay is higher at the median, but 100% of the occupation works for private employers.
Is The Freight Broker Job Market Growing?
BLS projects employment of cargo and freight agents to grow 6.2% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 9,000 openings a year.
How Much Does A Freight Forwarder Make?
BLS has no separate wage for freight forwarders; O*NET places them inside cargo and freight agents. In freight transportation arrangement, the industry forwarding firms belong to, the occupation's median is $54,730 (May 2025).
Keep Reading
How To Become A Freight Forwarder
Moves international shipments: books ocean and air space, prepares export and customs documents, and arranges duties.
Bachelor’s In Supply Chain Management, Ranked
Programs read from each school’s own page, with tuition where the school states it.
Online Supply Chain Management Degrees, Ranked
Programs read from each school’s own page, with tuition where the school states it.
Sources
- 1 BLS OEWS, May 2025: Cargo and Freight Agents (SOC 43-5011), national and state profile Read .
- 2 BLS OEWS, May 2025: metropolitan area estimates Read .
- 3 BLS OEWS, May 2025: national industry-specific and ownership estimates Read .
- 4 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics home
- 5 BLS Employment Projections, National Employment Matrix, 2025-35 Read .
- 6 BLS Employment Projections, occupation tables 1.2, 1.10 and 1.12, 2025-35 Read .
- 7 O*NET OnLine, 43-5011.00 Cargo and Freight Agents Read .
- 8 O*NET OnLine, 43-5011.01 Freight Forwarders Read .
- 9 BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, A to Z index Read .