Cargo and Freight Agents Salary
Cargo and Freight Agents in Fort Smith, AR-OK make a median of $46,470 a year, or about $22.34 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.89), which stretches that salary to about $54,104 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $937/month, or 29.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $46K get you in Fort Smith?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Smith’s Regional Price Parity (85.89). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About cargo and freight agents
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What this looks like in Fort Smith
Pay for cargo and freight agents in Fort Smith runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $52K. Rent runs $937/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for cargo and freight agents in metros near Fort Smith, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $51K | $55K |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $48K | $54K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $49K | $47K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $50K | $51K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Smith, AR-OK
Entry-level cargo and freight agents (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Cargo and Freight Agents pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Cargo and Freight Agents salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $76K | +46% | 60 |
| New Hampshire | $68K | +29% | 80 |
| South Dakota | $64K | +23% | 200 |
| Nebraska | $63K | +20% | 390 |
| Washington | $61K | +16% | 2,410 |
| Rhode Island | $60K | +15% | 140 |
| New Jersey | $60K | +15% | 4,280 |
| New York | $60K | +15% | 5,760 |
| Illinois | $60K | +14% | 6,110 |
| Montana | $59K | +13% | 370 |
| Massachusetts | $59K | +12% | 820 |
| Minnesota | $59K | +12% | 1,380 |
| California | $58K | +10% | 17,060 |
| Wisconsin | $57K | +10% | 1,280 |
| South Carolina | $57K | +9% | 1,540 |
| Alabama | $55K | +5% | 1,020 |
| North Dakota | $54K | +4% | 380 |
| Utah | $53K | +1% | 590 |
| Alaska | $52K | -0% | 580 |
| Tennessee | $52K | -1% | 3,390 |
| Colorado | $51K | -2% | 850 |
| Georgia | $51K | -2% | 3,630 |
| Missouri | $51K | -3% | 1,410 |
| Arkansas | $51K | -3% | N/A |
| Maine | $50K | -4% | 190 |
| Indiana | $50K | -4% | 1,200 |
| Oklahoma | $50K | -4% | 300 |
| Mississippi | $50K | -4% | 260 |
| Arizona | $50K | -5% | 1,840 |
| Virginia | $50K | -5% | 1,280 |
| Pennsylvania | $50K | -5% | 2,810 |
| Ohio | $50K | -5% | 2,840 |
| Oregon | $49K | -5% | 1,290 |
| West Virginia | $49K | -6% | 130 |
| Louisiana | $49K | -6% | 840 |
| New Mexico | $49K | -6% | 110 |
| Maryland | $49K | -7% | 740 |
| Florida | $49K | -7% | 8,110 |
| Texas | $48K | -7% | 7,610 |
| Iowa | $48K | -7% | 660 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -8% | 2,520 |
| Michigan | $48K | -8% | 2,150 |
| Vermont | $48K | -9% | 80 |
| Nevada | $47K | -10% | 490 |
| Kentucky | $46K | -12% | 2,570 |
| Idaho | $46K | -13% | 300 |
| Kansas | $43K | -19% | 890 |
| Hawaii | $42K | -19% | 1,760 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track cargo and freight agents salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Fort Smith numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cargo and freight agent afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fort Smith?
Yes — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 29.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $937/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for cargo and freight agents in Fort Smith?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cargo and freight agents typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,071/month. At HUD’s $937/month FMR, rent would take 45% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cargo and freight agent a high-paying job in Fort Smith?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $46K here vs. $52K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Fort Smith compare to the national average for cargo and freight agents?
Fort Smith pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $52K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do cargo and freight agents make in Fort Smith, AR-OK?
The median is $46,470 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,510, and experienced cargo and freight agents can clear $61,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Fort Smith?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,144/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $937/month, which eats 29.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a cargo and freight agents salary go in Fort Smith?
Fort Smith has a Regional Price Parity of 85.89 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cargo and freight agents salary is worth about $54,104 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cargo and freight agents get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.