At freight docks, weighing stations, or carrier terminals, you weigh freight to confirm shipment weights against bills of lading — supporting freight billing, dimensional weight calculation, and the accuracy that freight invoicing depends on.
In the freight terminal, the day runs between platform scales and the freight-document file — pallets, cases, and parcels crossing the scale, weight tickets generated, comparisons made against shipping documents. You're often between the dock crew and the freight-billing office. Weights captured accurately and billing-document reconciliation anchor the visible measures.
Where it gets demanding is the discrepancies that affect freight billing — under-weight shipments shortage carriers; over-weight ones generate reweigh fees. Variance across employers is real: at major carriers and freight terminals weighers work within structured weight-and-bill programs; at smaller terminals the role combines weighing with broader freight operations.
It fits people who are detail-precise about weight readings and tolerant of dock-environment work. The trade-off is shift schedules and the standing-work physical demand. Industry credentials and seniority anchor advancement.
Turn your career record
into a springboard for growth.
Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.
Don't know if you want to stay in your job?
Get your career on record. Then decide.
Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.
Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths
View all Admin & Office roles →At freight docks, weighing stations, or carrier terminals, you weigh freight to confirm shipment weights against bills of lading — supporting freight billing, dimensional weight calculation, and the accuracy that freight invoicing depends on.
Median pay for a Freight Weigher is about $46K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $35K to $60K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Monitoring, Speaking, and Coordination.
Most people in this role hold a high school diploma.
Employment in this field is projected to decline about 4.8% through 2034, with roughly 49,720 people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Checker, Sample Clerk, and Scale Clerk.
Do one small thing to grow in your career this week. Pick one of these; each comes with the words to use.
More career advice
We believe careers grow through small steps taken often, more than big leaps. So we’ve collected hundreds of them for you to try.
Browse career adviceTurn your career record
into a springboard for growth.