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Career

Freight Forwarders

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Research rates, routings, or modes of transport for shipment of products. Maintain awareness of regulations affecting the international movement of cargo. Make arrangements for additional services, such as storage or inland transportation.

Kinds of work

  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $52,260 Median per year · $25.13/hr Most earn $38,340–$79,810

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Arrange for applicable duties, taxes, or paperwork for customs clearance.
  • Select shipment routes, based on nature of goods shipped, transit times, or security needs.
  • Monitor or record locations of goods in transit.
  • Calculate weight, volume, or cost of goods to be moved.
  • Negotiate shipping rates with freight carriers.
  • Complete customs paperwork.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
6% more jobs by 2035, faster than average · about 9,000 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Freight transportation arrangement55.6%
  • Couriers and express delivery services9.3%
  • Scheduled air transportation8.5%
  • Support activities for air transportation6.0%
  • Truck transportation4.9%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Freight forwarding is usually not a straight-out-of-school job. Most people earn a bachelor's degree, then spend about 1 to 2 years in a related entry-level role before moving into freight forwarding work. Your path can start in high school and grow from there.

  1. Bachelor's degree in logistics, supply chain, business, or international trade

    4 years

    You learn how shipping, trade, and business work together, which gives you the base knowledge employers look for.

  2. Cargo and Freight Agent

    1-2 years

    You book shipments, track freight, and handle paperwork, which teaches you the rates, routes, and rules you'll use every day as a forwarder.

  3. Freight Forwarder

    You research rates, routings, and transport modes, arrange storage and inland transport, and keep up with the regulations that affect international cargo.

Where it can lead

  1. Operations Manager

    3-5 years of experience first

    You move from handling individual shipments to overseeing a team, budgets, and the flow of work across a freight or logistics office.

  2. Logistics Manager

    5+ years of experience first

    You plan the bigger picture for an company's shipping and supply network, including carriers, vendors, and costs across many regions.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and economics classesStrong math helps with calculating shipping costs and comparing rates, and economics explains how trade works.
  • Take a foreign language classSpeaking another language helps when working with overseas shippers, carriers, and customs offices.
  • Get a part-time job at a store stockroom, warehouse, or post officeYou'll see how products move from the dock to the customer and learn to work carefully with shipping labels and records.
  • Join a business club or DECA-style program at schoolClubs that focus on business and teamwork help you practice presenting ideas and working on group projects.
  • Try a job shadow or talk with a freight or logistics workerHearing about a real day on the job helps you decide if this career fits your interests.

In college

  • Major in logistics, supply chain, business, or international tradeThese majors cover the transport, trade, and regulation topics freight forwarders use every day.
  • Take courses in transportation, customs, or international businessClasses on trade rules and shipping methods give you direct knowledge of the work and make your résumé stronger.
  • Get an internship with a freight, shipping, or logistics companyHands-on experience with real shipments and clients is one of the best ways to prepare for a first job.
  • Work a campus job in a shipping center, mailroom, or inventory officeIt builds attention to detail and shows you how logistics works from the inside.
  • Join a supply chain or business student organizationClubs and networking events help you meet people in the field and learn about job openings.

Tips for getting started

  • Learn the basics of international trade and customs rules early. Freight forwarders must understand paperwork and regulations, so this knowledge stands out in job applications.
  • Look for part-time or summer work at a warehouse, shipping office, or delivery company. Even a clerk job shows employers that you understand how cargo moves.
  • Build comfort with spreadsheets and basic software. Forwarders compare rates and track shipments with data every day.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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