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Skilled Trades

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders

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.

Median salary (BLS)

$58,870

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$39k – $83k

Job outlook

+4% (faster than average)

AI exposure

Plan a path to Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders

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Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders

    Entry / Junior

    $39,460

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders

    Established

    $58,870

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders

    Senior

    $71,015

Key skills

A typical day

  • •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.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Skilled Trades

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.