Average Tank Car, Truck, And Ship Loaders Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Tank Car, Truck, And Ship Loaders is $58,870 per year. The middle 50% earn between $46,300 and $70,060, with 10,700 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 36 states and 23 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Tank Car, Truck, And Ship Loaders pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $39,460
- 25th
- $46,300
- Median
- $58,870
- 75th
- $70,060
- 90th
- $83,160
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Tank Car, Truck, And Ship Loaders earn close to the national median for all US workers. Solidly middle-income.
The spread between entry-level and top-end pay is typical for US occupations. Experience and specialization matter, but the range is not unusually wide.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for tank car, truck, and ship loaders from 2024 to 2034. Growth is roughly in line with the US average of about 4% across all occupations.
- Projected growth
- +4.3%
- 500 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 1,300
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings reflect typical replacement demand alongside any growth.
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
There are no formal educational requirements for entry. Much of the training happens through experience on the job.
Where Tank Car, Truck, And Ship Loaders earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where tank car, truck, and ship loaders work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Maryland at $81,320, about 38.1% above the national median. At the metro level, Billings, MT leads with a median of $83,390.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $81,320 | 110 |
| South Carolina | $80,700 | 90 |
| Montana | $80,070 | 80 |
| Minnesota | $76,620 | N/A |
| Alabama | $75,450 | 240 |
| Oregon | $74,040 | N/A |
| Massachusetts | $71,750 | 140 |
| New Hampshire | $70,030 | 40 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT | $83,390 | 50 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $83,160 | 70 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $81,920 | 60 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $77,490 | 80 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $76,850 | 200 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $64,890 | 120 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $63,170 | 40 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $63,100 | 60 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see tank car, truck, and ship loaders pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Tank Car, Truck, And Ship Loaders rose from $42,360 to $58,870, a gain of +39.0% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $42,360 would need to be worth $53,343 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $58,870 is $5,527 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +10.4% in purchasing power.
Real wages have grown strongly, 10.4% above inflation. Workers in this field have meaningfully gained purchasing power.
- Nominal change
- +39.0%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- +10.4%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Tank Car, Truck, And Ship Loaders median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $58,870
- 2024
- $58,070
- 2023
- $58,620
- 2022
- $53,930
- 2021
- $49,390
- 2020
- $45,610
- 2019
- $42,360
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Traffic Technicians
- $59,090
- Bridge And Lock Tenders
- $57,700
- Airfield Operations Specialists
- $56,850
Common salary questions for Tank Car, Truck, And Ship Loaders
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Tank Car, Truck, And Ship Loaders workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.