The average salary for a ship loader in South Carolina is around $80,700 per year.
Avg Salary
Ship loaders earn an average yearly salary of $80,700.
Wages typically start from $54,540 and go up to $80,700.
3% above national average Updated in 2025
Ship loader earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level ship loader earnings begin at:
$38.80 per hour
$80,700 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level ship loader earnings begin at:
$38.80 per hour
$80,700 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level ship loader earnings begin at:
$38.80 per hour
$80,700 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level ship loader earnings begin at:
$26.22 per hour
$54,540 per year
10th percentile
Starting level ship loader earnings begin at:
$26.22 per hour
$54,540 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Ship loader salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Maryland | $81,320 |
| South Carolina | $80,700 |
| Montana | $80,070 |
| Minnesota | $76,620 |
| Alabama | $75,450 |
| Oregon | $74,040 |
| Massachusetts | $71,750 |
| New Hampshire | $70,030 |
| California | $68,600 |
| New Jersey | $64,890 |
| North Dakota | $61,210 |
| Texas | $61,170 |
| Louisiana | $58,900 |
| Michigan | $57,900 |
| Missouri | $57,750 |
| Ohio | $57,700 |
| Wisconsin | $57,250 |
| West Virginia | $54,750 |
| Utah | $53,370 |
| Kentucky | $53,160 |
| Iowa | $51,450 |
| Colorado | $51,200 |
| Georgia | $51,160 |
| Washington | $48,580 |
| New York | $48,220 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,120 |
| New Mexico | $48,010 |
| Nebraska | $46,300 |
| Florida | $45,540 |
| Hawaii | $45,240 |
| North Carolina | $44,910 |
| Indiana | $44,310 |
| Tennessee | $43,980 |
| Maine | $42,830 |
| Wyoming | $42,440 |
| Idaho | $41,700 |
| Virginia | $41,190 |
| Illinois | $38,310 |
| Oklahoma | $35,360 |
| Arkansas | $33,800 |
| Kansas | $31,080 |
| Mississippi | $30,760 |
| Arizona | $28,310 |
| Alaska | $26,140 |
How do ship loader salaries compare to similar careers?
Ship loaders earn about the same as related careers in South Carolina. On average, they make less than locomotive engineers but more than truck drivers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Locomotive engineer salary | $89K |
| Avionics technician salary | $82K |
| Aircraft mechanic salary | $75K |
| Ship captain salary | $58K |
| Shipmate salary | $58K |
| Ship loader salary | $81K |
| Cargo and freight agent salary | $57K |
| Sailor salary | $50K |
| Traffic technician salary | $57K |
| Truck driver salary | $51K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)