Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders fall under the Transportation and Material Moving category in the U.S. occupational classification. Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders earn a median salary of $58,070 per year, ranking in the top 52% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +4.3% job growth through 2034, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Entry into this field typically requires a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, certifications, or postsecondary credentials, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.

What do tank car, truck, and ship loaders earn?

The median annual wage for tank car, truck, and ship loaders is $58,070. That puts tank car, truck, and ship loaders at #422 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.

Is tank car, truck, and ship loaders a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for tank car, truck, and ship loaders is +4.3%, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 12K positions in 2024 to 12K in 2034, a net change of 0K. Average growth signals a healthy, resilient occupation that mirrors broader U.S. employment trends. Job availability tends to track regional economic conditions.

What do tank car, truck, and ship loaders do every day?

According to O*NET task surveys of working tank car, truck, and ship loaders, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.

1. 1.Operate industrial trucks, tractors, loaders, and other equipment to transport materials to and from transportation vehicles and loading docks, and to store and retrieve materials in warehouses.
2. 2.Seal outlet valves on tank cars, barges, and trucks.
3. 3.Observe positions of cars passing loading spouts, and swing spouts into the correct positions at the appropriate times.
4. 4.Operate ship loading and unloading equipment, conveyors, hoists, and other specialized material handling equipment such as railroad tank car unloading equipment.
5. 5.Start pumps and adjust valves or cables to regulate the flow of products to vessels, using knowledge of loading procedures.
6. 6.Check conditions and weights of vessels to ensure cleanliness and compliance with loading procedures.
7. 7.Monitor product movement to and from storage tanks, coordinating activities with other workers to ensure constant product flow.
8. 8.Record operating data such as products and quantities pumped, gauge readings, and operating times, manually or using computers.

Top skills for tank car, truck, and ship loaders

O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.

What education does my child need to become tank car, truck, and ship loader?

Many tank car, truck, and ship loaders enter the field with a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, though employers increasingly favor candidates with certifications or some postsecondary coursework. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.

Related careers your child might also consider

• Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
  $226,600 median
• Air Traffic Controllers
  $144,580 median
• Commercial Pilots
  $122,670 median
• Ship Engineers
  $101,320 median
• Transportation Inspectors
  $85,750 median
• Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
  $85,540 median

Common questions parents ask about tank car, truck, and ship loaders