SOC 53-7121 · Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries
Nationally, tank car, truck, and ship loaders earned a median of $58,870 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 10,700 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.
National pay distribution
Pay by state
Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
| State | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $81,320 | $39.10 | 110 | 0.0 |
| South Carolina | $80,700 | $38.80 | 90 | 0.0 |
| Montana | $80,070 | $38.50 | 80 | 0.2 |
| Minnesota | $76,620 | $36.84 | Not published | Not published |
| Alabama | $75,450 | $36.27 | 240 | 0.1 |
| Oregon | $74,040 | $35.60 | Not published | Not published |
| Massachusetts | $71,750 | $34.49 | 140 | 0.0 |
| New Hampshire | $70,030 | $33.67 | 40 | 0.1 |
| California | $68,600 | $32.98 | 110 | 0.0 |
| New Jersey | $64,890 | $31.20 | 120 | 0.0 |
| North Dakota | $61,210 | $29.43 | 310 | 0.7 |
| Texas | $61,170 | $29.41 | 1,620 | 0.1 |
| Louisiana | $58,900 | $28.32 | 500 | 0.3 |
| Michigan | $57,900 | $27.84 | 200 | 0.0 |
| Missouri | $57,750 | $27.76 | 180 | 0.1 |
| Ohio | $57,700 | $27.74 | 820 | 0.1 |
| Wisconsin | $57,250 | $27.52 | 170 | 0.1 |
| West Virginia | $54,750 | $26.32 | 90 | 0.1 |
| Utah | $53,370 | $25.66 | Not published | Not published |
| Kentucky | $53,160 | $25.56 | 130 | 0.1 |
| Iowa | $51,450 | $24.74 | 180 | 0.1 |
| Colorado | $51,200 | $24.61 | 80 | 0.0 |
| Georgia | $51,160 | $24.60 | 50 | 0.0 |
| New York | $48,220 | $23.19 | 110 | 0.0 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,120 | $23.13 | 90 | 0.0 |
| New Mexico | $48,010 | $23.08 | 80 | 0.1 |
| Nebraska | $46,300 | $22.26 | Not published | Not published |
| Florida | $45,540 | $21.89 | 430 | 0.0 |
| Hawaii | $45,240 | $21.75 | Not published | Not published |
| North Carolina | $44,910 | $21.59 | 240 | 0.0 |
| Indiana | $44,310 | $21.30 | 250 | 0.1 |
| Idaho | $41,700 | $20.05 | 80 | 0.1 |
| Virginia | $41,190 | $19.81 | 60 | 0.0 |
| Oklahoma | $35,360 | $17.00 | 170 | 0.1 |
| Arkansas | $33,800 | $16.25 | 150 | 0.1 |
| Mississippi | Not published | Not published | 320 | 0.3 |
Pay by metro area
All 23 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.
Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.
| Metro area | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT | $83,390 | $40.09 | 50 | 0.5 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $83,160 | $39.98 | 70 | 0.1 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $81,920 | $39.39 | 60 | 0.3 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $77,490 | $37.26 | 80 | 0.0 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $76,850 | $36.95 | 200 | 0.0 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $64,890 | $31.20 | 120 | 0.0 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $63,170 | $30.37 | 40 | 0.4 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $63,100 | $30.34 | 60 | 0.1 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $62,200 | $29.90 | 210 | 0.5 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $61,420 | $29.53 | 1,460 | 0.3 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $61,220 | $29.43 | 970 | 0.3 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $60,950 | $29.30 | 320 | 0.2 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $60,440 | $29.06 | 80 | 0.0 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $57,940 | $27.85 | 60 | 0.7 |
| Columbus, OH | $57,030 | $27.42 | 50 | 0.0 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $55,730 | $26.79 | 60 | 0.1 |
| Charleston, WV | $54,750 | $26.32 | 50 | 0.5 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $53,370 | $25.66 | Not published | Not published |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $50,380 | $24.22 | 120 | 0.1 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $50,160 | $24.11 | 40 | 0.1 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $49,700 | $23.89 | 100 | 0.3 |
| Greeley, CO | $46,230 | $22.23 | Not published | Not published |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $44,010 | $21.16 | 80 | 0.1 |
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.