53
Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders is a notable career in the 53 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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13
| soc | 53-7121 |
| title | Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders |
| onet code | 53-7121.00 |
| description | Load and unload chemicals and bulk solids, such as coal, sand, and grain, into or from tank cars, trucks, or ships, using material moving equipment. May perform a variety of other tasks relating to shipment of products. May gauge or sample shipping tanks and test them for leaks. |
| job zone | 2 |
| major group | 53 |
| tot emp | 10,920 |
| a mean | 60,010 |
| a median | 58,070 |
| a pct10 | 38,260 |
| a pct25 | 47,260 |
| a pct75 | 71,230 |
| a pct90 | 88,120 |
| h mean | 28 |
| h median | 27 |
The day-to-day work of a tank car, truck, and ship loaders typically centers on seal outlet valves on tank cars, barges, and trucks. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, and Reading Comprehension. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.19 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working tank car, truck, and ship loaders, the most common entry qualification is a High School Diploma (81.4%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 2% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in Alabama at $85,260 and lowest in Arizona at $35,110 — a 2.4× spread. The top five states (Alabama, Alaska, Maryland, South Carolina, Massachusetts) average $80,352. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $85,260 | $72,650 | $35,540 | $85,260 | 220 |
| Alaska | $83,330 | $82,620 | $75,640 | $92,480 | 50 |
| Maryland | $79,860 | $74,860 | $44,420 | $123,240 | 150 |
| South Carolina | $79,250 | $68,460 | $39,520 | $79,250 | 60 |
| Massachusetts | $74,060 | $72,100 | $57,110 | $81,910 | 180 |
| Illinois | $67,600 | $62,620 | $37,730 | $77,310 | 360 |
| Florida | $67,340 | $59,020 | $27,580 | $67,340 | 820 |
| Kentucky | $66,640 | $64,200 | $26,890 | $99,370 | 360 |
| New Hampshire | $63,220 | $62,360 | $42,700 | $78,150 | — |
| Pennsylvania | $62,850 | $55,370 | $31,740 | $81,290 | 130 |
| Louisiana | $62,300 | $64,740 | $47,050 | $88,120 | 1,070 |
| Missouri | $61,560 | $61,460 | $40,470 | $74,980 | 170 |
| California | $59,510 | $62,240 | $43,410 | $90,480 | 170 |
| Texas | $59,430 | $63,220 | $45,030 | $92,500 | 2,580 |
| Michigan | $59,370 | $60,430 | $47,910 | $77,110 | 140 |
| New Jersey | $59,050 | $59,430 | $47,790 | $76,370 | 110 |
| North Dakota | $58,450 | $58,740 | $47,980 | $70,020 | 330 |
| Maine | $58,320 | $57,410 | $45,760 | $65,230 | 40 |
| Tennessee | $57,250 | $66,440 | $44,290 | $91,300 | 140 |
| Nebraska | $57,210 | $57,850 | $45,060 | $74,700 | — |
| West Virginia | $56,620 | $54,380 | $48,120 | $56,630 | 170 |
| Iowa | $56,160 | $54,910 | $50,460 | $60,030 | 260 |
| Wisconsin | $54,560 | $59,470 | $47,930 | $71,450 | 110 |
| Ohio | $51,580 | $58,170 | $38,030 | $82,840 | 790 |
| Indiana | $49,280 | $58,420 | $38,280 | $93,720 | 340 |
| Utah | $47,540 | $49,110 | $35,900 | $59,040 | 40 |
| New York | $45,110 | $48,740 | $37,680 | $68,300 | — |
| North Carolina | $43,990 | $44,390 | $39,570 | $49,350 | — |
| Arkansas | $41,230 | $41,420 | $31,140 | $51,080 | 130 |
| Colorado | $40,320 | $48,700 | $37,480 | $64,410 | 170 |
| Georgia | $38,780 | $43,150 | $30,260 | $58,920 | — |
| Idaho | $38,460 | $42,530 | $26,520 | $63,740 | 80 |
| Oklahoma | $37,360 | $42,360 | $28,190 | $66,720 | 180 |
| Mississippi | $37,280 | $39,260 | $29,820 | $54,160 | — |
| Arizona | $35,110 | $45,000 | $31,200 | $66,750 | — |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for tank car, truck, and ship loaders. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Barge Loader or Barges Loader frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders compares to others in the 53 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.