# Cargo and Freight Agents

US SOC code 43-5011. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/43-5011

Also called: Freight agent, Cargo agent, Freight forwarder, Shipping agent, Air cargo agent.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **97,670** US cargo and freight agents, with median pay of **$52,260** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2003, the highest was **105,220**, in May 2023. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://www.linbis.com/interstate-commerce-commission/) of **12,000** from 1942, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for cargo and freight agents: Cloud TMS, CargoWise, and real-time shipment visibility, 2000 to 2020.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 6.2% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=43-5011&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **27.3%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Cargo and Freight Agents employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1836
- Latest US employment: 97,670 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Latest US median pay: $52,260 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [8]
- Outlook: +6.2% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [22]

### All 27 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1942 | 12,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., LinBIS [1] |
| 1978 | 58,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Mercatus Center [2] |
| 1990 | 76,000 (estimate) | $22,000 (estimate) | Est., IPUMS USA (employment) [3]; Est., FRED (pay) [6] |
| 2000 | 64,320 | $28,560 | BLS OEWS 2000 [4] |
| 2003 | 61,770 | $31,990 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [5] |
| 2004 | 70,000 | $34,250 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [5] |
| 2005 | 78,730 | $35,860 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [5] |
| 2006 | 84,340 | $37,110 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [5] |
| 2007 | 81,380 | $37,060 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [5] |
| 2008 | 85,950 | $37,270 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [5] |
| 2009 | 82,440 | $36,960 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [5] |
| 2010 | 81,390 | $37,150 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [5] |
| 2011 | 80,570 | $38,210 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [5] |
| 2012 | 78,750 | $39,720 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [5] |
| 2013 | 73,760 | $40,250 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [5] |
| 2014 | 77,480 | $41,380 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [5] |
| 2015 | 81,120 | $41,870 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [5] |
| 2016 | 88,920 | $41,920 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [5] |
| 2017 | 89,920 | $41,820 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [5] |
| 2018 | 92,280 | $43,210 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [5] |
| 2019 | 95,810 | $43,740 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [5] |
| 2020 | 96,510 | $43,770 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [5] |
| 2021 | 85,750 | $46,910 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [5] |
| 2022 | 93,480 | $46,860 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [5] |
| 2023 | 105,220 | $48,330 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [5] |
| 2024 | 97,800 | $49,900 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [5] |
| 2025 | 97,670 | $52,260 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [5] |

## Sources (87)

### Employment series

1. [LinBIS — ICC and Interstate Commerce Commission Impact on Transportation (freight forwarder 1942 regulatory history)](https://www.linbis.com/interstate-commerce-commission/), LinBIS
2. [Mercatus Center — Unleashing Innovation: The Deregulation of Air Cargo Transportation (1977 Air Cargo Deregulation Act analysis)](https://www.mercatus.org/research/policy-briefs/unleashing-innovation-deregulation-air-cargo-transportation), Mercatus Center
3. [IPUMS USA — 1990 Census occupational codes and employment data (transportation and material moving clerical workers)](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/volii/occ1990.shtml), IPUMS / University of Minnesota
4. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

6. [FRED — Employed full time: Wage and salary workers: Cargo and freight agents occupations (LEU0254501700A, BLS CPS series)](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LEU0254501700A), Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis / BLS
7. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
8. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Tool eras

9. [Wikipedia — Freight forwarder (history of freight forwarding profession, Thomas Meadows 1836)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freight_forwarder), Wikipedia
10. [Wikipedia — Bill of lading (history and function of the central freight document)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_of_lading), Wikipedia
11. [Wikipedia — Air waybill (IATA standardisation of the air waybill format and IATA cargo agent role)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_waybill), Wikipedia
12. [LinBIS — ICC and Interstate Commerce Commission Impact on Transportation (1942 freight forwarder regulation, surface tariff regime)](https://www.linbis.com/interstate-commerce-commission/), LinBIS
13. [Mercatus Center — Unleashing Innovation: The Deregulation of Air Cargo Transportation](https://www.mercatus.org/research/policy-briefs/unleashing-innovation-deregulation-air-cargo-transportation), Mercatus Center
14. [US CBP — ACE: The Import and Export Processing System (history of ACS and ACE development)](https://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated), US Customs and Border Protection
15. [Cargoson — History of Transport Management Systems by Decade (EDI 1980s, first TMS 1990s)](https://www.cargoson.com/en/blog/transport-management-system-tms-history), Cargoson
16. [Logixboard — What is CargoWise? (CargoWise history, capabilities, and industry adoption)](https://web.archive.org/web/20260518085957/https://logixboard.com/cargowise-training/3pl-resources/what-is-cargowise/), Logixboard
17. [project44 — Real-time visibility and AI agent exception management (platform history)](https://www.project44.com/), project44
18. [Raft AI — Agentic platform: 93% of documents automated, 5x faster execution (2025)](https://raft.ai/), Raft AI
19. [Equitable Growth — Adoption of generative AI will have different effects across jobs in the US logistics workforce (2025)](https://equitablegrowth.org/adoption-of-generative-ai-will-have-different-effects-across-jobs-in-the-u-s-logistics-workforce/), Washington Center for Equitable Growth
20. [Flexport — Customs Technology Suite launch, October 2025](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251014811735/en/Flexport-Launches-Customs-Technology-Suite-to-Help-Businesses-Manage-Tariffs-and-Reduce-Costs), Flexport / BusinessWire
21. [FreightWaves — Nuvocargo unveils Nuvo AI freight engine, March 2026](https://www.freightwaves.com/news/exclusive-nuvocargo-unveils-ai-native-freight-engine-aimed-at-shippers), FreightWaves

### Forecasts and exposure studies

22. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 43-5011 Cargo and freight agents (2025: 100.3 thousand; 2035: 106.4 thousand; +6.2%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=43-5011&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
23. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 43-5011.00, human-rated β 0.273)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

24. [Wikipedia — Freight forwarder (history section: Thomas Meadows 1836)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freight_forwarder), Wikipedia
25. [Wikipedia — Expressman (William Harnden, 1839, first express courier service)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expressman), Wikipedia
26. [US CBP — Customs Brokers: Becoming a Customs Broker (statutory history, Tariff Act 1930)](https://www.cbp.gov/trade/programs-administration/customs-brokers/becoming-customs-broker), US Customs and Border Protection
27. [LinBIS — ICC and Interstate Commerce Commission Impact on Transportation (1942 Freight Forwarder Act)](https://www.linbis.com/interstate-commerce-commission/), LinBIS
28. [Mercatus Center — Unleashing Innovation: The Deregulation of Air Cargo Transportation (1977 Act)](https://www.mercatus.org/research/policy-briefs/unleashing-innovation-deregulation-air-cargo-transportation), Mercatus Center
29. [US CBP — ACE: The Import and Export Processing System (post-9/11 security requirements context)](https://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated), US Customs and Border Protection
30. [Flexport — Customs Technology Suite launch, October 2025 (AI entry auditor, 0.2% error rate)](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251014811735/en/Flexport-Launches-Customs-Technology-Suite-to-Help-Businesses-Manage-Tariffs-and-Reduce-Costs), Flexport / BusinessWire

### Predecessors & successors

31. [Wikipedia — Expressman (19th-century express agent history)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expressman), Wikipedia
32. [US CBP — What Every Member of the Trade Community Should Know About Customs Brokers (licensing history, Tariff Act 1930)](https://www.cbp.gov/trade/programs-administration/customs-brokers), US Customs and Border Protection

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 30.3 — Cargo and Freight Agents (43-5011.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/43-5011.00), accessed 2026-06-05
- [BLS OES May 2023 — Cargo and Freight Agents (43-5011)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes435011.htm), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Wisor AI — Top 8 Freight Automation Tools (2026)](https://wisor.ai/freight-automation-tools/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [FreightWaves — Nuvocargo unveils Nuvo AI freight engine (March 2026)](https://www.freightwaves.com/news/exclusive-nuvocargo-unveils-ai-native-freight-engine-aimed-at-shippers), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Flexport — Customs Technology Suite launch (October 2025)](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251014811735/en/Flexport-Launches-Customs-Technology-Suite-to-Help-Businesses-Manage-Tariffs-and-Reduce-Costs), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Invensis — AI in Customs Brokerage: Applications and Trends (2025)](https://www.invensis.net/blog/ai-in-customs-brokerage), accessed 2026-06-05
- [LinBIS — Career Path for Cargo/Freight Agents (2025)](https://www.linbis.com/general/career-path-for-cargo-freight-agent/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Wisor AI — Automated quoting platform for freight forwarders (2025)](https://wisor.ai/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [CargoFive — AI-powered freight quoting: hours to minutes (2025)](https://cargofive.com/ai-powered-freight-quoting/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Raft AI — Agentic platform: 93% of documents automated, 5x faster execution (2025)](https://raft.ai/), accessed 2026-06-05

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.