Freight Forwarders
Research rates, routings, or modes of transport for shipment of products.
About the profession
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.
How to Get Started
Take a personality test to see if Freight Forwarders fits your profile
Career Match Test →Explore the Career Path section to see progression from junior to senior
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Jump to Learning Path →Video
Occupation on screen: Cargo and Freight Agents (O*NET 43-5011.00). The Department of Labor publishes one film per occupation family, and this is the film it lists for Freight Forwarders (43-5011.01), which is how Freight Forwarders is classified. Closed captions in English and Spanish. CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration)
Personality Fit
Based on the Freight Forwarders role, here are the RIASEC personality types that tend to thrive in this career. While these alignments are common, individual success depends on motivation, skill development, and finding the right work environment.
Enterprising
Leading, persuading, business
Social
Helping, teaching, working with people
Conventional
Organizing, detail-oriented, structured
Not sure if these types match you? Take the full RIASEC assessment (4 min) to discover your personality profile and see how it aligns with hundreds of careers.
Career Path
Your career progression roadmap with salary growth at each level
Career Ladder
Trainee Freight Forwarder → Technician Freight Forwarder → Senior Technician Freight Forwarder → Lead Technician Freight Forwarder
Where are you on this career path?
Click a level below to set your current position
Salary Growth
4
Levels
$73K
Top Salary
8+
Years
Learning Path
Skills you need to develop and courses to get there
🚀
Set your current level first
Go to the Career Path tab and select your current level to see your personalized learning plan.
Go to Career PathCareer levels
Timeline: 0-2 | Entry Level Base: $36,520 - $45,595/year With equity/bonuses: $40,172 - $54,714 Top markets (SF/NYC): $41,998 - $54,714 Execute core tasks using Reading…
Skills used in this career
Click any skill to see how to learn it and what salary boost it gives
Day in Life
Junior vs Senior, daily schedule breakdown
9am, Negotiate shipping rates with freight carriers. 10am, Arrange for special transport of sensitive cargoes, such as livestock, food, or medical supplies.
Income Dynamics
Conservative and aggressive scenarios for 10–15 years
Year 1: Entry level $25,564 - $41,036 Year 2-3: Junior level $45,595 - $51,937 Year 4-6: Mid level $51,937 - $56,310 Year 7-10: Senior level $56,310 - $66,932 Year 10+:…
Is this for me?
15 questions, answer honestly
You find the craft of a Freight Forwarder genuinely interesting, not just a paycheck You enjoy working with Reading Comprehension and Coordination You communicate clearly with…
💰 Pay for Cargo and Freight Agents
BLS OEWS, May 2023The federal survey does not count this job title on its own — it is counted under Cargo and Freight Agents (43-5011).
Half of U.S. workers in this occupation earn more than this, half earn less.
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Related Reading
Related Holland / RIASEC Types