Import-export agent vs freight agent

The differences between import-export agents and freight agents can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an import-export agent has an average salary of $47,326, which is higher than the $34,524 average annual salary of a freight agent.

The top three skills for an import-export agent include customer service, data entry and booking. The most important skills for a freight agent are logistics, DOT, and data entry.

Import-export agent vs freight agent overview

	Import-Export Agent	Freight Agent
Yearly salary	$47,326	$34,524
Hourly rate	$22.75	$16.60
Growth rate	-	-3%
Number of jobs	26,116	32,620
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 37%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	-	-

What does an import-export agent do?

Import or export agents are professionals who are required to act as the middle person for purchasing or selling products between both domestic and overseas companies. These agents must possess a variety of export documentation to facilitate domestic and international shipments of products to ensure timely delivery. They should provide shipment status notification to answer inquiries from exporters and consignees. Import or export agents must also prepare documents while informing import agents about the details of shipment arrivals.

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.

Import-export agent vs freight agent salary

Import-export agents and freight agents have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Import-Export Agent	Freight Agent
Average salary	$47,326	$34,524
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $67,000	Between $24,000 And $49,000
Highest paying City	Uniondale, NY	New York, NY
Highest paying state	New York	New York
Best paying company	C.H. Robinson	TPI
Best paying industry	Transportation	Transportation

Differences between import-export agent and freight agent education

There are a few differences between an import-export agent and a freight agent in terms of educational background:

	Import-Export Agent	Freight Agent
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 37%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Import-export agent vs freight agent demographics

Here are the differences between import-export agents' and freight agents' demographics:

	Import-Export Agent	Freight Agent
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 43.9% Female, 56.1%	Male, 61.9% Female, 38.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 7.1% Hispanic or Latino, 26.8% Asian, 14.8% White, 45.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	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 import-export agent and freight agent duties and responsibilities

Import-export agent example responsibilities.

Prepare documentation as master BOL, shippers export declarations, cargo release, pickups, delivery orders and others.
Maintain AS400 system to include accurate shipment order entry, AES filing and other pertinent information for LCL and FCL shipments.
Facilitate training for CSR & shippers on export documentation and incoterms.
Send arrival notices, tracking, arranging inland moves on containers and LCL cargo.
Quoted ocean FCL & LCL rates to all the customers in order to satisfy their shipping needs.
Review and analyze standard operating procedures to insure compliance, TSA, ISO, TAPA, IMDG.

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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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Import-export agent vs freight agent skills

Common import-export agent skills

Customer Service, 34%
Data Entry, 11%
Booking, 8%
Export, 3%
Import Export, 3%
DHL, 3%

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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