Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Seal outlet valves on tank cars, barges, and trucks.
Verify tank car, barge, or truck load numbers to ensure car placement accuracy based on written or verbal instructions.
Start pumps and adjust valves or cables to regulate the flow of products to vessels, using knowledge of loading procedures.
Check conditions and weights of vessels to ensure cleanliness and compliance with loading procedures.
Observe positions of cars passing loading spouts, and swing spouts into the correct positions at the appropriate times.
Top skills:Operations MonitoringOperation and ControlReading ComprehensionTime ManagementWritingSpeaking
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders pay by experience level
Entry level$41,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$48,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$61,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$72,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$86,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+4.3%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
1,300
projected openings per year
Growing about as fast as average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders salary by industry
Support Activities for Transportation
3,970 workers
$64,000
Support Activities for Rail Transportation
2,190 workers
$61,500
Support Activities for Water Transportation
1,780 workers
$67,000
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods
1,400 workers
$55,500
Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers
760 workers
$46,000
Food Manufacturing
690 workers
$58,000
Warehousing and Storage
660 workers
$67,500
Warehousing and Storage
660 workers
$67,500
Water Transportation
560 workers
$75,500
Inland Water Transportation
550 workers
$76,000
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders pays 10% below the average across 53 roles in the Transportation and Material Moving job family (family average $69,000).
Similar-paying roles in Transportation and Material Moving
