48831/Port and Harbor Operations
US businesses, employees and payroll, 2017 to 2023
14K
employees, 2023
14K
employees, 2023
In 2023, 326 US Port and Harbor Operations business locations employed 13,933 people and paid $1.1 billion in annual payroll, $76,503 per employee on average. Employment was up 4.5% from 2022. Virginia had the most employees.
Updated Oct 9, 2026 · data year 2023
Business locations
326
-5.8% vs 2022
Employees
13,933
+4.5% vs 2022
Annual payroll
$1.1B
+7.2% vs 2022
Average pay
$76,503
+2.6% vs 2022
Over the years
United States, 2017 to 2023
Employees
Paid employees in mid-March
Business locations
Places with paid employees
By state
Employees of Port and Harbor Operations in each state, 2023
Employees by state
States with the most employees
Employees and the share of all the state's jobs
| State | Business locations | Employees | Average pay | Share of state jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 17 | 2,364* | $78,496 | 0.07% |
| Louisiana | 30 | 1,589 | $81,792 | 0.09% |
| New Jersey | 21 | 1,567 | $132,503 | 0.04% |
| Florida | 42 | 1,434 | $42,134 | 0.01% |
| Maryland | 16 | 1,321 | $65,491 | 0.05% |
| Texas | 34 | 1,191* | $56,619 | 0.01% |
| Delaware | 3 | 927* | $55,878 | 0.20% |
| California | 25 | 690 | $97,649 | 0.00% |
| New York | 15 | 663 | $54,994 | 0.01% |
| Washington | 16 | 269 | $116,662 | 0.01% |
| Alaska | 11 | 194* | $113,098 | 0.07% |
| Georgia | 5 | 160 | $33,344 | 0.00% |
| Ohio | 7 | 143 | $75,762 | 0.00% |
| Tennessee | 3 | 134* | $52,672 | 0.00% |
| Connecticut | 5 | 132* | $84,129 | 0.01% |
The 15 states with the most employees. Download the CSV for all 29.
Top metro areas
Metro and micro areas with the most Port and Harbor Operations employees, 2023
Metro areas with the most employees
| Metro area | Locations | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 13 | 2,088* | $79,172 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 30 | 1,614 | $131,420 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 10 | 1,514 | $54,492 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 16 | 1,321 | $65,491 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | 18 | 843 | $97,291 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 21 | 667 | $49,867 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 7 | 614 | $20,169 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | 4 | 563* | $70,098 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 21 | 483 | $56,797 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 7 | 374* | $71,019 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 13 | 325 | $122,203 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 8 | 209 | $129,167 |
| Vallejo, CA | 3 | 147* | $68,027 |
| New Haven, CT | 3 | 118* | $69,000 |
| Savannah, GA | 3 | 95 | $32,158 |
Business size
US Port and Harbor Operations business locations by number of employees, 2023
Locations by size
| Employees | Locations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 125 | 38.3% |
| 5 to 9 | 55 | 16.9% |
| 10 to 19 | 38 | 11.7% |
| 20 to 49 | 44 | 13.5% |
| 50 to 99 | 29 | 8.9% |
| 100 to 249 | 25 | 7.7% |
| 250 to 499 | 5 | 1.5% |
| 500 to 999 | 5 | 1.5% |
| 1,000 or more | Not published | - |
Related industries
Port and Harbor Operations and the 1 industry directly below it
Part of Transportation and Warehousing 48-49Support Activities for Transportation 488Support Activities for Water Transportation 4883
| Code | Industry | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 488310 | Port and Harbor Operations | 13,933 | $76,503 |
Questions and answers
How many people work in Port and Harbor Operations in the US?
13,933 people worked at 326 US Port and Harbor Operations business locations in 2023, up 4.5% from 2022. That is 0.01% of all US private-sector employees.
What is the average pay in Port and Harbor Operations?
$76,503 a year per employee in 2023, from $1.1 billion in annual payroll (up 2.6% from 2022). The average across all US industries was $68,342.
Which state has the most Port and Harbor Operations jobs?
Virginia had the most, with 2,364 employees in 2023, followed by Louisiana (1,589) and New Jersey (1,567).
Which metro areas have the most Port and Harbor Operations jobs?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC (2,088), New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ (1,614), Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (1,514) had the most Port and Harbor Operations employees in 2023.
Are most Port and Harbor Operations businesses small?
66.9% of the 326 Port and Harbor Operations business locations had fewer than 20 employees in 2023, and 5 had 500 or more.
Official US government statistics, published once a year. Business locations are places with paid employees; employees are counted in mid-March; payroll covers the whole year. Covers most private employers, not the self-employed, most government workers or farm workers on farms. * Less accurate: changed by 5% or more to protect privacy. Changes from the year before are shown only when both years use the same edition of the industry codes.