A union port worker who tracks containers and cargo on a marine terminal, handling gate transactions, yard inventory, and vessel loading plans. Pacific Maritime Association puts typical pay at $264,000 a year (2024). BLS does not publish separate figures for cargo and freight agents; it counts them within cargo and freight agent (SOC 43-5011), whose median pay is $52,260 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 43-5011
- Office and Administrative Support
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Marine Clerk in four numbers
- Median pay
- $52,260a year, or $25.13/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $38KTop 10% $80K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +6.2%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+6.2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +6.2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 9,000100,300 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025100.3K
- Projected 2035106.4K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 100.3K Projected 2035 106.4K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school1.7%
- High school12.2%
- Certificate18.1%
- Some college19.2%
- Associate's18.1%
- Bachelor's30.8%
Highest education held by cargo and freight agents Segment Value Less than high school 1.7% High school 12.2% Certificate 18.1% Some college 19.2% Associate's 18.1% Bachelor's 30.8%
Also advertised as: Longshore Clerk, ILWU Marine Clerk, Terminal Clerk, Vessel Planner (Union), Gate Clerk.
Pay
How much do Cargo and Freight Agents make?
Industry-reported pay
$264,000
Average annual earnings of full-time registered marine clerks at West Coast ports (excludes benefits; part-time workers earn less).
Source: Pacific Maritime Association, 2024 (published pay scale or filing). This is not a BLS figure: BLS counts cargo and freight agents within cargo and freight agent, whose pay is shown below. Pacific Maritime Association: Contract Highlights · How Longshoremen Get Paid (summary of PMA earnings data)
Every marine clerk in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$52,260
Middle half earn $45,710 to $63,390
- 10th
- $38,340
- 25th
- $45,710
- 75th
- $63,390
- 90th
- $79,810
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $38,340 |
| 25th | $45,710 |
| Median | $52,260 |
| 75th | $63,390 |
| 90th | $79,810 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $52,260
- Median hourly wage
- $25.13/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $57,230
- People employed
- 97,670
Versus all US occupations
At $52,260, Cargo and Freight Agents earn 3% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $1,280 a year.
Versus office and administrative support occupations
Inside the Office and Administrative Support group, where the middle occupation pays $49,230, this is 6% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $79,810 or more while the bottom 10% earn $38,340, a gap of 2.1×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 25% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
District of Columbia posts the highest raw median ($76,250), but once local prices are taken into account South Dakota leads at $72,630 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Cargo and Freight Agents the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1District of Columbia | $76,250 | $69,381 | 60 |
| 2New Hampshire | $67,660 | $64,955 | 80 |
| 3South Dakota | $64,340 | $72,630 | 200 |
| 4Nebraska | $62,500 | $69,365 | 390 |
| 5Washington | $60,760 | $56,778 | 2,410 |
| 6Rhode Island | $60,310 | $58,966 | 140 |
| 7New Jersey | $60,210 | $55,338 | 4,280 |
| 8New York | $60,040 | $55,633 | 5,760 |
| 9Illinois | $59,750 | $59,775 | 6,110 |
| 10Montana | $59,240 | $62,592 | 370 |
Job outlook
Is Marine Clerk a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +6.2% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Cargo and Freight Agents | +6.2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Cargo and Freight Agents to change 6.2% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 6,200 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 9,000 openings are projected each year, 9.0% of the 100,300 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Marine Clerk
Marine clerks usually come up through the longshore industry. Positions are filled through the union and the Pacific Maritime Association, often from the pool of longshore workers or through limited registration openings. A high school diploma is typical, and strong computer, accuracy, and communication skills matter.
New clerks train on terminal operating systems, gate procedures, and vessel planning, and build seniority over time. A Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) is generally required to enter terminals.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as cargo and freight agents.
- Bachelor's Degree30.8%
- Some College Courses19.2%
- Post-Secondary Certificate18.1%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree18.1%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)12.2%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 30.8% |
| Some College Courses | 19.2% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 18.1% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 18.1% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 12.2% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Marine Clerk do?
Marine clerks keep track of every box that crosses a port terminal. They process trucks at the gate, verify container numbers, seals, and paperwork, record where each container sits in the yard, and help plan how containers are loaded onto ships so weight and destinations are balanced. They also check cargo against manifests, flag discrepancies and damage, and coordinate with longshore workers, crane operators, and terminal management.
Much of the work now runs through terminal operating software, and clerks increasingly handle remote gate systems and automated equipment data. On the West Coast, marine clerks are a distinct division of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, with their own locals and hiring halls.
Day-to-day tasks
- Process trucks and containers through terminal gates
- Verify container numbers, seals, and shipping documents
- Record container locations and update yard inventory
- Help prepare vessel loading and unloading plans
- Check cargo against manifests and report damage or discrepancies
- Coordinate moves with longshore workers and terminal supervisors
- Operate terminal operating system software
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Clerks work in gate booths, terminal offices, and out in container yards, on day, night, and weekend shifts that follow ship arrivals. The job mixes screen work with time outside around heavy equipment and trucks. Dispatch and shift selection depend on seniority.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Speaking3.6
- Active Listening3.5
- Reading Comprehension3.3
- Critical Thinking3.3
- Writing3.0
- Monitoring3.0
- Active Learning2.8
- Mathematics2.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Speaking | 3.6 |
| Active Listening | 3.5 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.3 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.3 |
| Writing | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 2.8 |
| Mathematics | 2.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Negotiation3.1
- Time Management3.1
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
- Coordination3.0
- Service Orientation3.0
- Complex Problem Solving3.0
- Persuasion2.9
- Judgment and Decision Making2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Negotiation | 3.1 |
| Time Management | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Service Orientation | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 |
| Persuasion | 2.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software
- Internet browser software
- Inventory management software
- Mobile location based services software
- Procurement software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Marine Clerk?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code CR) built on O*NET's Cargo and Freight Agent profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Marine Clerk |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 4 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 5 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
- Conventional6.3
- Enterprising4.8
- Realistic3.9
- Social2.1
- Investigative1.5
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Marine Clerk
O*NET related occupations
- Office and Administrative Support
- Office and Administrative Support
- Office and Administrative Support
- Business and Financial Operations
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Office and Administrative Support
More office and administrative support careers
Median annual pay, with cargo and freight agents highlighted
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant$76,590
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant$55,570
- Public Safety Telecommunicator$53,040
- Marine Clerk$52,260
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk$50,670
- Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$50,610
- Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- Teller$43,030
- Receptionist and Information Clerk$38,010
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant | $76,590 |
| Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant | $55,570 |
| Public Safety Telecommunicator | $53,040 |
| Marine Clerk | $52,260 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk | $50,670 |
| Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | $50,610 |
| Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $47,540 |
| Teller | $43,030 |
| Receptionist and Information Clerk | $38,010 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Marine Clerk appears on
Questions
Marine Clerk: frequently asked questions
How much do Cargo and Freight Agents make?
Pacific Maritime Association reports $264,000 (average annual earnings of full-time registered marine clerks at West Coast ports (excludes benefits; part-time workers earn less), 2024). BLS does not publish a separate wage for cargo and freight agents. It counts them within cargo and freight agent, whose median pay is $52,260 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $45,710 and $63,390, and the top 10% earn $79,810 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Marine Clerk?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Cargo and Freight Agents. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 30.8% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Marine Clerk a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 6.2% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 9,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Marine Clerk do?
Marine clerks keep track of every box that crosses a port terminal. A typical task: process trucks and containers through terminal gates. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Enterprise resource planning ERP software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Cargo and Freight Agents the most?
The highest state medians for Cargo and Freight Agents are District of Columbia ($76,250), New Hampshire ($67,660), South Dakota ($64,340) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, South Dakota moves to the top at $72,630.
What personality type suits a Marine Clerk?
O*NET scores Cargo and Freight Agents highest on the Conventional, Enterprising and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ESTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.