Freight broker vs freight agent

The differences between freight brokers and freight agents can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a freight broker has an average salary of $52,390, which is higher than the $34,524 average annual salary of a freight agent.

The top three skills for a freight broker include TMS, logistics and FTL. The most important skills for a freight agent are logistics, DOT, and data entry.

Freight broker vs freight agent overview

	Freight Broker	Freight Agent
Yearly salary	$52,390	$34,524
Hourly rate	$25.19	$16.60
Growth rate	5%	-3%
Number of jobs	7,528	32,620
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 37%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	-	-

What does a freight broker do?

Freight brokers have licensed property brokers who provide assistance to shippers in hauling materials. Their job involves linking carriers and shippers in hauling materials. They take part in the shipping logistics of organizations or companies. Among the matters they negotiate include tracking of shipments, keeping delivery and pickup tracks, and shipping rates. Among the necessary skills for this job include customer service, negotiation, communication, and marketing.

What does a freight agent do?

Freight agents are independent contractors who help shippers to connect with carriers willing to haul the freight. They work with a freight broker and play a role in the movement of freight, and have to find available carriers to ship a client's freight. Being a freight agent no longer requires a license, does not require a freight broker bond, and does not assume the risk of the client's creditworthiness in terms of invoice collections. The agents use load boards to find a carrier. This provides them with a marketplace to post their client's freight for potential carriers to agree to haul.

Freight broker vs freight agent salary

Freight brokers and freight agents have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Freight Broker	Freight Agent
Average salary	$52,390	$34,524
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $77,000	Between $24,000 And $49,000
Highest paying City	-	New York, NY
Highest paying state	-	New York
Best paying company	-	TPI
Best paying industry	-	Transportation

Differences between freight broker and freight agent education

There are a few differences between a freight broker and a freight agent in terms of educational background:

	Freight Broker	Freight Agent
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 37%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Freight broker vs freight agent demographics

Here are the differences between freight brokers' and freight agents' demographics:

	Freight Broker	Freight Agent
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 64.6% Female, 35.4%	Male, 61.9% Female, 38.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.3% Unknown, 6.6% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 12.9% White, 58.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 7.4% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 14.2% White, 51.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between freight broker and freight agent duties and responsibilities

Freight broker example responsibilities.

Manage EDI transmit pricing on orders from customers.
Manage, inspect, photograph, and create reports biweekly for U.S. department of HUD and Fannie Mae assign properties.
Book dry and refrigerate freight for FTL and LTL loads.
Specialize in working with power only units and flat beds experience in working with FTL, and LTL shipments.
Create, develop and retain business relationships with shippers.
Provide RFP's for large company customers

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Freight agent example responsibilities.

Manage and carry out specific program and regulatory activities such as enforcing hazmat and weight restrictions.
Prepare, issue and submit documentation to ensure proper exportation of client FCL and LCL shipments.
Solicit votes for annual and special shareholders meetings as well as for proxy fights.
Work with AS400 data system to enter nd update shipment details, carrier status and tracking and tracing.
Trace key transaction information such as HBL, commercial invoice and other require documents to determine if record is available.
Provide guidance and clarification on proxy materials, voting methods and specific proposals.

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Freight broker vs freight agent skills

Common freight broker skills

TMS, 19%
Logistics, 18%
FTL, 17%
Shippers, 12%
LTL, 4%
Freight Carriers, 4%

Common freight agent skills

Logistics, 75%
DOT, 4%
Data Entry, 4%
Freight Carriers, 3%
US Customs, 2%
Air Cargo, 1%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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