Freight Forwarders
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.
Also called: Air Export Agent · Air Export Coordinator · Export Coordinator · Freight Forwarder · GSA Coordinator (General Services Administration Coordinator) · Import Agent
Median pay (national)
$49,900
$37,240–$76,350 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
97,800
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+8.5%
~8,800 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for freight forwarders shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $76,350 versus $37,240 at the bottom 10% — 2.1x. The median of $49,900 leaves roughly 53% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +8.5% from 2024 to 2034 — much faster than the 3% average for all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 8,800 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 48 states with released data, South Dakota pays the most for this role (median $68,400, +37% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $27,670 — a 147% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Monitoring, Active Listening as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Speaking
- Active Learning
- Mathematics
- Learning Strategies
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- 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.
- Calculate weight, volume, or cost of goods to be moved.
- Determine efficient and cost-effective methods of moving goods from one location to another.
- Pay or arrange for payment of freight or insurance fees or other charges.
- Obtain or arrange cargo insurance.
- Verify proper packaging and labeling of exported goods.
- Verify adherence of documentation to customs, insurance, or regulatory requirements.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- SAP software
- AESDirect
- Arcline ArcFreight
- CargoWise ediEnterprise
- CEDAS Gateway
- IES Ecellerate
- Kewill Global Trade and Logistics
- Manufacturing resource planning MRP software
- Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
- Order management software
- Package tracking software
- QuestaWeb TradeMaster QW
- RedBerry Logistics
Knowledge areas
- Transportation
- Administrative
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Public Safety and Security
- Geography