SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 53-7121.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $39,460 | $3,288 | $759 | $18.97 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $46,300 | $3,858 | $890 | $22.26 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $58,870 | $4,906 | $1,132 | $28.30 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $70,060 | $5,838 | $1,347 | $33.69 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $83,160 | $6,930 | $1,599 | $39.98 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders is $58,870, which is 15% higher. Among the 50 occupations of the field Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks number 20 by median pay. With 10,700 jobs, it makes up about 0.7 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders pay by state
The highest median pay was in Maryland ($81,320), South Carolina ($80,700) and Montana ($80,070). The lowest was in Arkansas ($33,800), Oklahoma ($35,360) and Virginia ($41,190). The most jobs were in Texas (1,620), Ohio (820) and Louisiana (500). The occupation is most concentrated in North Dakota, where its share of all jobs is 10.3 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 110 | $81,320 | $79,120 | $39.10 |
| South Carolina | 90 | $80,700 | $67,700 | $38.80 |
| Montana | 80 | $80,070 | $80,670 | $38.50 |
| Minnesota | not published | $76,620 | $70,490 | $36.84 |
| Alabama | 240 | $75,450 | $77,470 | $36.27 |
| Oregon | not published | $74,040 | $71,430 | $35.60 |
| Massachusetts | 140 | $71,750 | $65,670 | $34.49 |
| New Hampshire | 40 | $70,030 | $68,370 | $33.67 |
| California | 110 | $68,600 | $74,570 | $32.98 |
| New Jersey | 120 | $64,890 | $63,190 | $31.20 |
| North Dakota | 310 | $61,210 | $62,910 | $29.43 |
| Texas | 1,620 | $61,170 | $65,060 | $29.41 |
| Louisiana | 500 | $58,900 | $59,520 | $28.32 |
| Michigan | 200 | $57,900 | $57,310 | $27.84 |
| Missouri | 180 | $57,750 | $57,600 | $27.76 |
| Ohio | 820 | $57,700 | $62,140 | $27.74 |
| Wisconsin | 170 | $57,250 | $57,420 | $27.52 |
| West Virginia | 90 | $54,750 | $55,790 | $26.32 |
| Utah | not published | $53,370 | $52,810 | $25.66 |
| Kentucky | 130 | $53,160 | $61,480 | $25.56 |
| Iowa | 180 | $51,450 | $52,970 | $24.74 |
| Colorado | 80 | $51,200 | $52,700 | $24.61 |
| Georgia | 50 | $51,160 | $48,900 | $24.60 |
| New York | 110 | $48,220 | $50,700 | $23.19 |
| Pennsylvania | 90 | $48,120 | $54,590 | $23.13 |
| New Mexico | 80 | $48,010 | $47,980 | $23.08 |
| Nebraska | not published | $46,300 | $47,840 | $22.26 |
| Florida | 430 | $45,540 | $52,930 | $21.89 |
| Hawaii | not published | $45,240 | $61,840 | $21.75 |
| North Carolina | 240 | $44,910 | $45,370 | $21.59 |
| Indiana | 250 | $44,310 | $50,030 | $21.30 |
| Idaho | 80 | $41,700 | $44,560 | $20.05 |
| Virginia | 60 | $41,190 | $46,130 | $19.81 |
| Oklahoma | 170 | $35,360 | $39,900 | $17.00 |
| Arkansas | 150 | $33,800 | $36,880 | $16.25 |
| Mississippi | 320 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
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Common questions
How much do Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders earn in the United States?
The median pay was $58,870 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $39,460 and the highest-paid 10% more than $83,160.
How many people work as Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders?
About 10,700 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.