Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for tank car, truck, and ship loaderss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Montana$80,670
- Maryland$79,120
- Alabama$77,470
- California$74,570
- Oregon$71,430
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Arkansas$36,880
- Oklahoma$39,900
- Idaho$44,560
- North Carolina$45,370
- Virginia$46,130
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | $80,670 | $80,070 | $39 | +34.5% | 80 |
| 2 | Maryland | $79,120 | $81,320 | $38 | +31.9% | 110 |
| 3 | Alabama | $77,470 | $75,450 | $37 | +29.2% | 240 |
| 4 | California | $74,570 | $68,600 | $36 | +24.3% | 110 |
| 5 | Oregon | $71,430 | $74,040 | $34 | +19.1% | — |
| 6 | Minnesota | $70,490 | $76,620 | $34 | +17.5% | — |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $68,370 | $70,030 | $33 | +14% | 40 |
| 8 | South Carolina | $67,700 | $80,700 | $33 | +12.9% | 90 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $65,670 | $71,750 | $32 | +9.5% | 140 |
| 10 | Texas | $65,060 | $61,170 | $31 | +8.5% | 1,620 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $63,190 | $64,890 | $30 | +5.4% | 120 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $62,910 | $61,210 | $30 | +4.9% | 310 |
| 13 | Ohio | $62,140 | $57,700 | $30 | +3.6% | 820 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $61,840 | $45,240 | $30 | +3.1% | — |
| 15 | Kentucky | $61,480 | $53,160 | $30 | +2.5% | 130 |
| 16 | Louisiana | $59,520 | $58,900 | $29 | -0.8% | 500 |
| 17 | Missouri | $57,600 | $57,750 | $28 | -4% | 180 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $57,420 | $57,250 | $28 | -4.3% | 170 |
| 19 | Michigan | $57,310 | $57,900 | $28 | -4.4% | 200 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $55,790 | $54,750 | $27 | -7% | 90 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $54,590 | $48,120 | $26 | -9% | 90 |
| 22 | Iowa | $52,970 | $51,450 | $25 | -11.7% | 180 |
| 23 | Florida | $52,930 | $45,540 | $25 | -11.7% | 430 |
| 24 | Utah | $52,810 | $53,370 | $25 | -11.9% | — |
| 25 | Colorado | $52,700 | $51,200 | $25 | -12.1% | 80 |
| 26 | New York | $50,700 | $48,220 | $24 | -15.5% | 110 |
| 27 | Indiana | $50,030 | $44,310 | $24 | -16.6% | 250 |
| 28 | Georgia | $48,900 | $51,160 | $24 | -18.5% | 50 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $47,980 | $48,010 | $23 | -20% | 80 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $47,840 | $46,300 | $23 | -20.2% | — |
| 31 | Virginia | $46,130 | $41,190 | $22 | -23.1% | 60 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $45,370 | $44,910 | $22 | -24.3% | 240 |
| 33 | Idaho | $44,560 | $41,700 | $21 | -25.7% | 80 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $39,900 | $35,360 | $19 | -33.5% | 170 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $36,880 | $33,800 | $18 | -38.5% | 150 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 38 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Billings, MT | $83,390 | $86,910 | 50 |
| 2 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $83,160 | $81,640 | 70 |
| 3 | Corpus Christi, TX | $81,920 | $77,870 | 60 |
| 4 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $78,790 | $70,290 | — |
| 5 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $77,490 | $74,990 | 80 |
| 6 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $76,850 | $68,080 | 200 |
| 7 | South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $69,890 | $64,160 | 70 |
| 8 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $64,890 | $63,150 | 120 |
| 9 | Lake Charles, LA | $63,170 | $63,640 | 40 |
| 10 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $63,100 | $61,530 | 60 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing tank car, truck, and ship loaderss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation | $94,390 | $95,570 | 40 |
| 2 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $83,360 | $83,930 | 300 |
| 3 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $83,360 | $83,930 | 300 |
| 4 | Pipeline Transportation | $78,790 | $78,970 | — |
| 5 | Utilities | $75,630 | $74,200 | 70 |
| 6 | Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $75,630 | $74,200 | 70 |
| 7 | Sector 22 - Utilities | $75,630 | $74,200 | 70 |
| 8 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) | $70,700 | $68,670 | 160 |
| 9 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) | $69,740 | $62,640 | 480 |
| 10 | Water Transportation | $68,010 | $72,910 | 560 |
| 11 | Inland Water Transportation | $68,010 | $73,310 | 550 |
| 12 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | $63,360 | $61,560 | 300 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do tank car, truck, and ship loaders make in the U.S.?
The median tank car, truck, and ship loaders salary in the United States is $58,870 per year (mean $59,970), and about 80% earn between $39,460 and $83,160.
How much do tank car, truck, and ship loaders make per hour?
Roughly $29 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $59,970 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays tank car, truck, and ship loaders the most?
Montana has the highest average pay for tank car, truck, and ship loaders at $80,670 per year (median $80,070).
What is the job outlook for tank car, truck, and ship loaders?
Employment is projected to change +4.3% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 1,300 openings per year.