How To Become A Shipping Agent: What It Is and Career Path

What is a shipping agent and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

The average shipping agent salary is $33,978. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an business major. It usually takes 6-12 months of experience to become a shipping agent. Shipping agents with a Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow -3% and produce -38,100 job opportunities across the U.S.

ScoreShipping AgentUS Average

Salary

2.7

Avg. Salary $33,978

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.3

Growth rate -3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

10.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.75%

Asian 7.66%

Black or African American 10.55%

Hispanic or Latino 20.61%

Unknown 4.26%

White 56.17%

Gender

female 27.42%

male 72.58%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress level

6.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.3

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a shipping agent

Explore shipping agent education requirements

Most common shipping agent degrees

Bachelor's

36.1 %

High School Diploma

31.3 %

Associate

18.2 %

Start to develop specific shipping agent skills

Skills	Percentages
International Orders	11.45%
Inventory Control	10.94%
Inbound Calls	9.62%
Dangerous Goods	8.84%
Cargo Operations	7.88%

Complete relevant shipping agent training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New shipping agents learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a shipping agent based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real shipping agent resumes.

Research shipping agent duties and responsibilities

Manage EDI process for largest companies.
Write cargo being carry on airway bill.
Gain proficiency in AES filings and relevant shipping codes.
Monitor and control shipping and receiving functions to successfully support worldwide customers with their RF antenna system needs.

Prepare your shipping agent resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your shipping agent resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a shipping agent resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable shipping agent resume templates

Build a professional shipping agent resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your shipping agent resume.