State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Manager Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers is $107,230 a year ($51.55/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 6.1% through 2034, with about 18,500 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
SOC 11-3071ManagementLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $107,230
- Projected growth
- +6.1%
- Openings a year
- 18,500
- Typical education
- High school
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Distribution Center Manager, Distribution Manager, Fleet Manager, Global Transportation Manager, Logistics Director, Logistics Operations Manager.
How much do Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers make?
10th percentile$65,120
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$82,440
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$107,230
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$146,770
Upper quartile
90th percentile$194,900
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $107,230 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $51.55/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $121,600 |
| People employed | 221,180 |
Versus all US occupations
At $107,230, Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers earn 110% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $56,250 a year.
Versus management occupations
Inside the Management group, where the middle occupation pays $126,060, this is 15% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $194,900 or more while the bottom 10% earn $65,120, a gap of 3.0×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 84% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Delaware pays the most at $145,000, and still leads at $145,279 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $145,000 | $145,279 | 310 |
| Washington | $136,500 | $127,555 | 2,490 |
| Colorado | $132,610 | $128,683 | 2,310 |
| District of Columbia | $132,180 | $120,272 | 610 |
| New Jersey | $130,610 | $120,040 | 9,120 |
| New Hampshire | $129,470 | $124,293 | 530 |
| New York | $127,180 | $117,845 | 6,740 |
| Massachusetts | $123,830 | $117,089 | 4,310 |
| California | $123,780 | $111,796 | 30,540 |
| Georgia | $123,330 | $128,078 | 6,700 |
Is Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Manager a growing career?
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers6.1%
All US occupations3.1%
+6.1% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers to change 6.1% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 13,100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 18,500 openings are projected each year, 8.5% of the 216,700 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
As the growth of e-commerce makes supply chain management more dynamic and complex, transportation, storage, and distribution managers will be in demand for enhanced integration of logistics with business systems and processes. These managers will be needed to plan and coordinate an increasing volume of inventory, multiple supply chains, and sophisticated supply chain management systems. In addition, as more goods are purchased online, timeliness of delivery remains a priority for companies, further increasing demand for these workers.
How to become a Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Manager
Transportation, storage, and distribution managers typically need a high school diploma, although some employers prefer or require a bachelor’s degree. They also need related work experience to enter the occupation.
| Typical entry-level education | High school diploma or equivalent |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Medium preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | 5 years or more |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
What does a Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Manager do?
Plan, direct, or coordinate transportation, storage, or distribution activities in accordance with organizational policies and applicable government laws or regulations. Includes logistics managers.
Transportation, storage, and distribution managers plan, direct, or coordinate transportation, storage, or distribution activities.
Day-to-day tasks
- Supervise the activities of workers engaged in receiving, storing, testing, and shipping products or materials.
- Inspect physical conditions of warehouses, vehicle fleets, or equipment and order testing, maintenance, repairs, or replacements.
- 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.
- Establish or monitor specific supply chain-based performance measurement systems.
- Interview, select, and train warehouse and supervisory personnel.
- Confer with department heads to coordinate warehouse activities, such as production, sales, records control, or purchasing.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Where transportation, storage, and distribution managers work
| Transportation and warehousing | 31% |
|---|---|
| Wholesale trade | 17% |
| Manufacturing | 13% |
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | 8% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 7% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
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
- Learning Strategies3.4/5
Transferable skills
- Coordination3.8/5
- Negotiation3.6/5
- Instructing3.6/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.6/5
- Systems Analysis3.6/5
- Time Management3.6/5
- Persuasion3.5/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.5/5
Tools and software
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Accounting software
- Analytical or scientific software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Manager?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary3.6
Investigative2.6
Artistic1.0
Social2.4
Enterprisingprimary6.0
Conventionalprimary5.7
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Manager: frequently asked questions
How much do Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers make?
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers earn a median of $107,230 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 110% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $51.55/hr. The middle half earn between $82,440 and $146,770. The top 10% earn $194,900 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Manager?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers. Employers typically expect 5 years or more of related work experience first.
Is Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Manager a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 6.1% over 2024–2034, faster than the 3.1% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 18,500 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Manager do?
Transportation, storage, and distribution managers plan, direct, or coordinate transportation, storage, or distribution activities. A core O*NET task: supervise the activities of workers engaged in receiving, storing, testing, and shipping products or materials. Employers most often ask for Computer aided design CAD software, Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software.
Which states pay Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers the most?
The highest state medians for Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers are Delaware ($145,000), Washington ($136,500), Colorado ($132,610) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Manager?
O*NET scores Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ESTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.