Cargo and Freight Agents vs Public Safety Telecommunicators: Similar Median Pay, Different Work

Cargo and Freight Agents vs Public Safety Telecommunicators: what changes?

Consider Cargo and Freight Agents if you want to expedite and route movement of incoming and outgoing cargo and freight shipments in airline, train, and trucking terminals and shipping docks. Consider Public Safety Telecommunicators if you would rather operate telephone, radio, or other communication systems to receive and communicate requests for emergency assistance at 9-1-1 public safety answering points and emergency operations centers. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Cargo and Freight Agents and Public Safety Telecommunicators. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Cargo and Freight Agents

National median pay (2025): $52,260
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Negotiate and arrange transport of goods with shipping or freight companies.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 9,000

Know before you choose

Deadline pressure is a recurring condition rather than an occasional emergency.

See the full Cargo and Freight Agents brief

Public Safety Telecommunicators

National median pay (2025): $53,040
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Provide emergency medical instructions to callers.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 9,000

Know before you choose

Review the full career brief for day-to-day working conditions.

See the full Public Safety Telecommunicators brief

How the national numbers differ

Cargo and Freight Agents has the edge on projected growth

Cargo and Freight Agents is at 6.2% projected growth, compared with 3.7% projected growth for Public Safety Telecommunicators.

National pay benchmarks are very similar.

Compare actual offers, expected paid hours, schedule, and benefits before treating either career as the higher-paying option.

62.4/ 100

Cargo and Freight Agents

57.4/ 100

Public Safety Telecommunicators

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Cargo and Freight Agents vs Public Safety Telecommunicators

Dimension	Cargo and Freight Agents	Public Safety Telecommunicators
Median pay (2025)	$52,260	$53,040
Pay percentile	37.5 percentile	38.4 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	6.2%	3.7%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	9,000	9,000
2025 employment	100,300	105,600
How you qualify	High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing	High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 2	Job Zone 2
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.	More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Cargo and Freight Agents brief Read Public Safety Telecommunicators brief

Cargo and Freight Agents vs Public Safety Telecommunicators: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Cargo and Freight Agents

Public Safety Telecommunicators

How the national numbers differ

Cargo and Freight Agents has the edge on projected growth

National pay benchmarks are very similar.

Cargo and Freight Agents vs Public Safety Telecommunicators

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