Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
No formal educational credential
None
Short-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Tank car, truck, and ship loaders work in a specialized niche with a clear pathway for people interested in hands-on, physically active roles. National employment is 12,000 workers, with projected employment growth of 4.3%. This field offers about 1,000 annual openings, suggesting ongoing hiring needs across the country. The national median annual salary of $58,070 places this occupation in a solid earning range for work that typically does not require a formal educational credential. The role draws on a mix of physical strength and stamina, attention to detail, mechanical ability, and problem-solving skills, making it a good fit for people who like practical, real-world tasks. Workers can also leverage skills such as project management, leadership, and reading and writing to coordinate tasks and work effectively with others. For individuals interested in industrial or logistics-related environments, this career provides a blend of steady employment prospects and accessible entry requirements.
The national median annual salary for tank car, truck, and ship loaders is $58,070, with notable variation by location. Among states with top opportunity scores, Massachusetts shows a median salary of $71,750, while California offers $68,600, both above the national median. In contrast, Virginia’s median of $41,190 and New York’s $48,220 highlight how pay can differ substantially across regions. At the metro level, Boston-Cambridge-Newton stands out with a median salary of $77,490, closely followed by Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington at $76,850. The New York-Newark-Jersey City metro reports $64,890, while Chicago-Naperville-Elgin and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands are in the low $60,000s. These differences suggest that choosing certain states or metros can significantly influence earning potential, giving workers some flexibility to target locations that better align with their salary goals.
Tank car, truck, and ship loaders have national employment of 12,000 workers, with projected employment growth of 4.3%. This same 4.3% projected growth rate appears consistently across the highlighted states and metro areas, indicating a broadly similar growth expectation in many key markets. The occupation is expected to generate about 1,000 annual openings nationwide. Those openings reflect a combination of new positions driven by growth and positions created when workers change jobs or leave the workforce. For prospective workers, the combination of measurable projected growth and regular annual openings points to a labor market where opportunities should continue to appear over time. Because the occupation is present in multiple states and large metro areas, job seekers interested in this work can consider both staying local where roles exist and exploring regions with higher opportunity scores or salaries to better match their career plans.
Location plays a significant role for tank car, truck, and ship loaders, with notable differences in both pay and scale of employment. Among states with top opportunity scores, Massachusetts and California combine relatively higher median salaries ($71,750 and $68,600) with moderate employment levels (140 and 110). New York and Colorado show midrange salaries ($48,220 and $51,200) and smaller employment counts, while Virginia has a lower median salary of $41,190 and 60 workers. At the metro level, New York-Newark-Jersey City leads in opportunity score at 77.27, with a median salary of $64,890 and employment of 120. Boston-Cambridge-Newton offers the highest listed metro salary at $77,490 with 80 workers. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands each support sizable workforces (1,460 and 970), with salaries in the low $60,000s. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington pairs a relatively high salary of $76,850 with 200 workers. These patterns highlight options to prioritize either higher pay, larger job markets, or overall opportunity scores when choosing where to work.
Tank car, truck, and ship loader roles typically require no formal educational credential, making this occupation accessible to individuals who want to enter the workforce without completing a degree or certificate program. Despite the lack of a formal education requirement, employers rely on a well-rounded skill set. Physical strength and stamina are important, as is being detail oriented and having strong fine motor skills. Mechanical aptitude also plays a key role, along with problem solving and decision making and comfort with basic mathematics. Skills in science, reading, and writing support understanding procedures and documentation. Project management and leadership abilities can help workers coordinate tasks, manage workflows, and contribute to team direction. Together, these skills allow individuals without formal credentials to demonstrate readiness for the work and position themselves for advancement opportunities within the field or into related occupations that value similar capabilities.
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