Transportation, storage, and distribution managers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $65,120 | $31.31 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $107,230 | $51.55 |
| Mean (average) | $121,600 | $58.46 |
| 90th percentile | $194,900 | $93.70 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Transportation, storage, and distribution managers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $118,320 | $63,710 | $198,970 | 1,250 | 0.41 |
| Alaska | $103,080 | $76,310 | $157,100 | ||
| Arizona | $98,750 | $68,780 | $166,680 | 3,390 | 0.74 |
| Arkansas | $89,200 | $52,620 | $174,990 | 1,440 | 0.78 |
| California | $123,780 | $71,260 | $208,420 | 30,540 | 1.18 |
| Colorado | $132,610 | $80,160 | $213,580 | 2,310 | 0.57 |
| Connecticut | $114,210 | $68,760 | $179,230 | 2,410 | 1 |
| Delaware | $145,000 | $101,250 | $210,080 | 310 | 0.45 |
| District of Columbia | $132,180 | $79,910 | $195,190 | 610 | 0.61 |
| Florida | $101,570 | $54,490 | $173,950 | ||
| Georgia | $123,330 | $74,920 | $207,890 | 6,700 | 0.96 |
| Guam | $83,360 | $48,000 | $136,990 | 150 | 1.54 |
| Hawaii | $101,480 | $70,350 | $173,630 | 830 | 0.93 |
| Idaho | $93,920 | $56,510 | $171,940 | 1,040 | 0.85 |
| Illinois | $120,250 | $68,310 | $207,570 | 11,030 | 1.27 |
| Indiana | $108,720 | $70,690 | $174,220 | 4,190 | 0.92 |
| Iowa | $99,010 | $61,340 | $164,980 | 1,850 | 0.83 |
| Kansas | $106,130 | $79,300 | $164,790 | 1,150 | 0.56 |
| Kentucky | $100,340 | $58,250 | $175,390 | 2,340 | 0.82 |
| Louisiana | $93,650 | $54,220 | $154,240 | 2,840 | 1.03 |
| Maine | $102,110 | $65,010 | $169,370 | 370 | 0.4 |
| Maryland | $105,180 | $71,450 | $169,680 | 3,550 | 0.9 |
| Massachusetts | $123,830 | $75,400 | $223,700 | 4,310 | 0.83 |
| Michigan | $99,100 | $61,720 | $169,020 | 8,180 | 1.31 |
| Minnesota | $118,180 | $71,610 | $200,450 | 4,030 | 0.96 |
| Mississippi | $85,770 | $51,780 | $154,470 | 2,410 | 1.46 |
| Missouri | $102,870 | $58,240 | $186,040 | 3,650 | 0.87 |
| Montana | $108,180 | $66,300 | $146,570 | 300 | 0.41 |
| Nebraska | $97,380 | $64,320 | $147,110 | 1,420 | 0.97 |
| Nevada | $99,860 | $62,780 | $162,720 | 2,250 | 1.02 |
| New Hampshire | $129,470 | $80,550 | $198,700 | 530 | 0.55 |
| New Jersey | $130,610 | $87,330 | $216,840 | 9,120 | 1.5 |
| New Mexico | $101,420 | $65,610 | $155,370 | 660 | 0.53 |
| New York | $127,180 | $80,430 | $204,600 | 6,740 | 0.49 |
| North Carolina | $106,100 | $66,090 | $191,650 | 6,650 | 0.95 |
| North Dakota | $100,720 | $70,420 | $151,430 | 390 | 0.63 |
| Ohio | $101,550 | $62,160 | $175,190 | 9,480 | 1.2 |
| Oklahoma | $96,830 | $53,930 | $168,180 | 1,660 | 0.68 |
| Oregon | $103,520 | $66,260 | $186,460 | 2,860 | 1.02 |
| Pennsylvania | $105,240 | $65,560 | $182,390 | 8,540 | 0.99 |
| Puerto Rico | $83,560 | $44,070 | $160,860 | 820 | 0.61 |
| Rhode Island | $117,600 | $71,760 | $207,580 | 450 | 0.63 |
| South Carolina | $106,860 | $68,150 | $199,970 | 3,460 | 1.06 |
| South Dakota | $107,410 | $70,090 | $147,230 | 370 | 0.57 |
| Tennessee | $100,740 | $55,420 | $181,680 | 4,910 | 1.05 |
| Texas | $100,700 | $63,380 | $177,340 | 28,710 | 1.43 |
| Utah | $102,180 | $65,090 | $169,180 | 3,010 | 1.22 |
| Vermont | $101,850 | $70,090 | $167,530 | 390 | 0.9 |
| Virgin Islands | $56,390 | $43,260 | $119,670 | 40 | 0.9 |
| Virginia | $119,140 | $77,010 | $205,640 | 3,380 | 0.58 |
| Washington | $136,500 | $84,870 | $202,070 | 2,490 | 0.49 |
| West Virginia | $98,230 | $56,970 | $157,540 | 530 | 0.53 |
| Wisconsin | $95,900 | $57,410 | $176,090 | 5,410 | 1.29 |
| Wyoming | $112,310 | $77,960 | $145,960 | 130 | 0.33 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 18,300. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 3.6%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- 5 years or more
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Public Administration CIP 44.0401
- Transportation and Infrastructure Planning/Studies CIP 44.0403
- Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology, General CIP 49.0101
- Aviation/Airway Management and Operations CIP 49.0104
- Business/Commerce, General CIP 52.0101
- Business Administration and Management, General CIP 52.0201
- Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management CIP 52.0203
- Transportation/Mobility Management CIP 52.0209
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- 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.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Warehouse management system WMS (in demand)
- Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D (hot technology)
- Bentley MicroStation (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Microsoft SQL Server (hot technology)
- Microsoft Visio (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- Structured query language SQL (hot technology)
- 3PL Central
Transferable skills for career changers: Coordination, Negotiation, Instructing, Complex Problem Solving, Systems Analysis, Time Management.
Common job titles: Distribution Center Manager, Distribution Manager, Fleet Manager, Global Transportation Manager, Logistics Director, Logistics Operations Manager, Shipping Manager, Supply Chain Logistics Manager, Transportation Manager, Warehouse Supervisor.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do transportation, storage, and distribution managers make?
The national median annual wage for transportation, storage, and distribution managers was $107,230 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $65,120 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $194,900. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do transportation, storage, and distribution managers need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with 5 years or more of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is transportation, storage, and distribution managers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of transportation, storage, and distribution managers to change +6.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 18,300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay transportation, storage, and distribution managers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Delaware ($145,000), Washington ($136,500), Colorado ($132,610). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.