Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders Salary
In California, tank car, truck, and ship loaders earn $68,600 at the median, or about $32.98 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $110K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $64,632 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 55.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of California. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $69K get you in California?
About tank car, truck, and ship loaders
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for tank car, truck, and ship loaders, local pay runs about 17% higher than the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 54.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level tank car, truck, and ship loaders (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $69K. Top earners bring in $110K or more, a $67K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track tank car, truck, and ship loaders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tank car, truck, and ship loader afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $69K, rent takes 54.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for tank car, truck, and ship loaders in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tank car, truck, and ship loaders typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,614/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 95% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is tank car, truck, and ship loader a high-paying job in California?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $69K here vs. $59K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for tank car, truck, and ship loaders?
California pays $69K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tank car, truck, and ship loaders make in California?
The median is $68,600 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,570, and experienced tank car, truck, and ship loaders can clear $110,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $69K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,505/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 54.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a tank car, truck, and ship loaders salary go in California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median tank car, truck, and ship loaders salary is worth about $64,632 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do tank car, truck, and ship loaders 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.