Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
SOC code 11-3071 · O*NET-SOC 11-3071.00 · Considerable preparation needed
Bright Outlook — O*NET expects rapid growth for this occupation
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$107,230
a year
Hourly
$51.55
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$121,600
$58.46 per hour
Middle 50%
$82,440 – $146,770
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$65,120 – $194,900
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
221,180
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $65,120
- $31.31/hr
- 25th percentile
- $82,440
- $39.64/hr
- Median percentile
- $107,230
- $51.55/hr
- 75th percentile
- $146,770
- $70.56/hr
- 90th percentile
- $194,900
- $93.70/hr
Job outlook · federal projection 2024–34
+6%
Growing faster than average
216,700
jobs in 2024
229,800
projected for 2034
About 13,100 more jobs
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections, 2024–34. Projections describe the broader occupation group and are estimates, not guarantees.
What do transportation, storage, and distribution managers do?
Plan, direct, or coordinate transportation, storage, or distribution activities in accordance with organizational policies and applicable government laws or regulations. Includes logistics managers.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Supervise the activities of workers engaged in receiving, storing, testing, and shipping products or materials.
- Plan, develop, or implement warehouse safety and security programs and activities.
- Inspect physical conditions of warehouses, vehicle fleets, or equipment and order testing, maintenance, repairs, or replacements.
- Plan, organize, or manage the work of subordinate staff to ensure that the work is accomplished in a manner consistent with organizational requirements.
- Collaborate with other departments to integrate logistics with business systems or processes, such as customer sales, order management, accounting, or shipping.
- Analyze all aspects of corporate logistics to determine the most cost-effective or efficient means of transporting products or supplies.
- Resolve problems concerning transportation, logistics systems, imports or exports, or customer issues.
- Develop and document standard and emergency operating procedures for receiving, handling, storing, shipping, or salvaging products or materials.
How to qualify for this work
Preparation level: zone 4 — Considerable preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
The federal survey did not capture education levels for this specific occupation, so the preparation-level card above is the best guide to the entry route.
Common questions
How much does a transportation, storage, and distribution managers earn?
The national median is $107,230 a year. The full range runs from $65,120 at the 10th percentile to $194,900 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a transportation, storage, and distribution managers without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 4, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Is transportation, storage, and distribution managers in demand?
Federal projections expect employment to grow by about 6% between 2024 and 2034 — growing faster than average. Openings also come from people retiring or changing jobs, which the growth figure does not count.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension3.9/5
- Active Listening3.9/5
- Monitoring3.8/5
- Writing3.6/5
- Speaking3.6/5
- Critical Thinking3.6/5
- Active Learning3.6/5
Knowledge areas
- Transportation4.5/5
- Administration and Management4.1/5
- Customer and Personal Service4.0/5
- English Language3.8/5
- Mathematics3.6/5
- Personnel and Human Resources3.5/5
- Public Safety and Security3.5/5
- Economics and Accounting3.2/5
Transferable strengths: Coordination, Negotiation, Instructing.