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Boston Career Explorer

Office and Administrative Support

Cargo and Freight Agents

Expedite and route movement of incoming and outgoing cargo and freight shipments in airline, train, and trucking terminals and shipping docks. Take orders from customers and arrange pickup of freight and cargo for delivery to loading platform. Prepare and examine bills of lading to determine shipping charges and tariffs.

Also called: Air Export Specialist, Drop Shipment Clerk, Freight Broker, Intermodal Dispatcher, International Coordinator, Load Planner

Compare with my current job (Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks)
Median pay in Greater Boston
$59,330
$28.52/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
700
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+12.0%
60 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
High school diploma or equivalent
plus Short-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$50,420$52,250$59,330$73,620$76,500

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Negotiate and arrange transport of goods with shipping or freight companies.
  • Determine method of shipment and prepare bills of lading, invoices, and other shipping documents.
  • Track delivery progress of shipments.
  • Advise clients on transportation and payment methods.
  • Estimate freight or postal rates and record shipment costs and weights.
  • Keep records of all goods shipped, received, and stored.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure83 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 96
  • Language-model AIOE 85
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 69

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure is higher for this job, though observed AI use is little or none so far. Tools could help with paperwork-heavy tasks like bills of lading, rate estimates, and shipment tracking. Negotiating with freight companies and advising clients on shipping and payment choices rely more on people and judgment.

Likely to change

  • Preparing bills of lading and shipping documents
  • Estimating rates and tracking shipments

Still relies on people

  • Negotiating transport with freight companies
  • Advising clients on shipping and payment options

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers

    Your knowledge of shipping and cargo flow carries over to leading receiving and shipping teams. Boston pay is $128,760, though AI exposure is also higher.

    Pay difference
    +$69,430 median
    AI exposure
    Higher
    MA growth
    +9.9%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

  • Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

    Checking load paperwork and cargo carries over. Boston pay is $64,010 with lower AI exposure, but you need a postsecondary training award.

    Pay difference
    +$4,680 median
    AI exposure
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    MA growth
    +8.5%
    To get started
    Postsecondary nondegree award

  • First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers

    Recordkeeping and following safety rules carry over to supervising production teams. Boston pay is $82,660, and AI exposure is moderate.

    Pay difference
    +$23,330 median
    AI exposure
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    MA growth
    +3.6%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

No college programs near Boston map to this job. Many people enter through on-the-job training or apprenticeship.

Talk to a career coach at the Office of Workforce Development about apprenticeships and City partner programs.

Related occupations

Talk to a career coach

A coach at the Office of Workforce Development can help you plan your next step, and connect you with training, apprenticeships and City partner programs that are not listed here.

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