SOC 43-5011 · Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro

Cargo and Freight Agents Salary in Hickory, NC

The average salary for cargo and freight agents in Hickory, North Carolina is $52,040 a year ($25.02 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $41,290: half of the 40 people in this job in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 9% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($57,351).

$52,040average per year

$25.02 / hourMedian $41,290Take-home ≈ $42,426

  • $36K10th
  • $41K25th
  • $41KMedian
  • $61K75th
  • $70K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

40people in this job
-9%vs U.S. metro average
#4 of 7North Carolina metros
88cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Cargo and Freight Agents pay range in Hickory

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,020 a year or less, while the top 10% make $69,830 or more. The middle half of cargo and freight agents in Hickory earn between $41,290 and $60,910.

  • $36K10th
  • $41K25th
  • $41KMedian
  • $61K75th
  • $70K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$52,040$4,337$25.02
Median$41,290$3,441$19.85
Entry level (25th percentile)$41,290$3,441$19.85
Experienced (75th percentile)$60,910$5,076$29.28

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Cargo and Freight Agents salary after taxes in Hickory

On the average salary of $52,040, a single filer in Hickory takes home about $42,426 a year, or $3,536 a month and $1,632 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).

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Is Hickory a good place for cargo and freight agents? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Hickory area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.5), so the average $52,040 buys what about $58,812 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Hickory ($45,220). A typical home costs $271,739, or 5.2 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $52,040 is worth in another city

Cargo and Freight Agents salary in other North Carolina cities

Hickory ranks 4th of 7 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Winston-Salem pays the most ($53,730).

All Cargo and Freight Agents salaries in North Carolina

Highest-paying cities for cargo and freight agents

Hartford, CT pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($71,770).

Cargo and Freight Agents salary by city

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Cargo and Freight Agents salary in Hickory: questions

How much do cargo and freight agents make an hour in Hickory?

$25.02 an hour on average, and $19.85 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level cargo and freight agents salary in Hickory?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,020 a year and the 25th percentile is $41,290, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the cargo and freight agents take-home pay in Hickory?

About $42,426 a year ($3,536 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $52,040.

Do cargo and freight agents earn more in Hickory than elsewhere?

The average here is 9% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($57,351).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 43-5011; area Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC (25860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.5%.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.40, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.40).

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