Logistics Manager Salary

By Henry Steele - January 8, 2018
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The following article discusses the career path of Logistics Manager. Learn about how to become one, education requirements, job duties, traits and qualities, national salary outlook as well as top national employers of Logistics Managers.

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Job Duties

If a company ships products, parts, goods, or other forms of commodities between locations regularly, then they need logistics management, which essentially focuses on every element of the transportation activities. To properly handle this, logistics managers are needed. They are usually middle managers, heading a team of workers specializing in logistics. This means that they also make employment decisions, supervise staff, and manage a budget, creating work within that. They also work together with managers from shipping, loading, and warehouse operations. They report to a more senior manager or even someone at the director level.

One of the key elements of importance in the job of a logistics manager is to make sure that all goods and parts move through the shipping system as efficiently as possible. Typically, they will create reports that showcase exactly how quickly a warehouse fills and how rapidly goods are shipped out. They also create calculations on delivery times based on these reports and on data from past performance.

A large part of the role of the logistics manager is to make sure that any obstacles and bottlenecks are removed. They create a clear path that is completely safe for operatives to use. They enforce regular inspections of freight vehicles, equipment, and warehouses and they keep track of the necessary repairs, making sure they are completed on time.

Like other managers, logistics managers hold responsibility for hiring new staff and conducting their performance reviews. They also schedule work and make sure that best practice procedures are identified and implemented. Usually, they have administrative staff working for them, but they also need to have excellent communication and organization skills themselves so that they can understand the data that is presented to them and ensure they can report on this clearly.

Other job duties of a logistics manager include:

  • Coordinating, planning, and directing the distribution and storage of raw materials and other organizational supplies
  • Making sure that all customer needs have been met
  • Holding responsibility for logistical financial transactions
  • Managing staff in the logistics department

Where We Work

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 148,700 logisticians in 2016. The largest employers of these professionals were:

  • Manufacturing: 25%
  • Federal government: 20%
  • Professional, scientific, and technical services: 17%
  • Management of companies and enterprises: 10%
  • Wholesale trade: 9%

How to Become

A logistics manager usually needs a specialized undergraduate degree in operations engineering, operations analysis, or a related field. It is common for organizations to look for those who have a graduate degree in business management, analysis, or related field. Furthermore, a logistics manager is usually expected to have at least three years’ work experience at middle management level.

Education Requirements

A logistics manager has to be able to manage the complexities of supply chains and logistics. As a result, a bachelor’s degree is usually the minimum requirement. Supply chain management, systems engineering, and business are common study subjects. During the bachelor’s degree, they will learn about system dynamics, database management, and operations. Furthermore, they have to be exposed to common logistics software, such as RFID (radio-frequency identification).

There is no legal requirement for a logistics manager to become certified. However, certifications do demonstrate commitment to excellence and a broader knowledge. Hence, logistics managers may choose to become certified through the International Society of Logistics (SOLE) or through American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS). Work experience and education are required for these certifications. Other options are offered through the DUA (Defense Acquisition University), which are required for those who work as a logistics analyst for the Department of Defense.

Work experience is also vitally important. A logistics manager will need to have gained several years’ experience in supply chains, logistics, and business. Some start in logistical support, such as clerks or dispatchers, and many have a military background. Through work experience, these specialists get to know about supply chain and production processes.

Traits & Qualities

The most effective logistics managers have the following traits to some degree or other:

  • Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
  • Strong critical thinking skills
  • Great customer service skills
  • Excellent organizational skills
  • Strong problem solving skills

Minimum Education

Bachelor’s Degree

National Salary

The national average salary estimate for Logistics Manager was $62,099. This number is estimated from over 779,424 employees, users past and present job advertisements from Indeed.com. This equates to an hourly salary of $32.34 and monthly of $5,175.

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$15,000

$139,000

Salary Distribution

Salary by State

The following section lists Logistics Manager salaries in each state around the country. The figures are based on the total number of job postings through Indeed.com. For example, Kentucky had the largest quoted salary of $82,531 while South Dakota had the smallest quoted salary of $23,040.

AlaskaHawaiiMinnesotaSouth Carolina
AlabamaIowaMissouriSouth Dakota
ArkansasIllinoisNorth CarolinaTennessee
ArizonaIndianaNew JerseyTexas
CaliforniaKansasNevadaUtah
ColoradoKentuckyNew YorkVirginia
DCLouisianaOhioWashington
DelawareMassachusettsOklahomaWisconsin
FloridaMarylandOregon
GeorgiaMichiganPennsylvania
Alaska – $60,287Rank: 17th
The average salary ranks 17th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like U.S. Army.

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  • Most Reported
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$14,000

$149,000

Salary Distribution
Alabama – $56,735Rank: 25th
The average salary ranks 25th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like U.S. Air Force.

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  • Most Reported
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$17,000

$119,000

Salary Distribution
Arkansas – $53,626Rank: 32nd
The average salary ranks 32nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Walmart, Career Staffing Services, and General Transportation, Inc..

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$14,000

$156,000

Salary Distribution
Arizona – $57,476Rank: 22nd
The average salary ranks 22nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like CyberCoders, Fulfillment Logistics Company, Randstad, and Retaily Group LLC dba Soap Des Jour.

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$14,000

$133,000

Salary Distribution
California – $66,747Rank: 6th
The average salary ranks 6th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like SkillSet Group, Phoenix Resource Group, TMS America, Inc., and Denham Resources.

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  • Most Reported
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$20,000

$139,000

Salary Distribution
Colorado – $54,299Rank: 31st
The average salary ranks 31st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like U.S. Army.

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$14,000

$123,000

Salary Distribution
DC – $70,773Rank: 4th
The average salary ranks 4th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like National MarketingAgency.

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$19,000

$154,000

Salary Distribution
Delaware – $46,744Rank: 37th
The average salary ranks 37th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like 21st Century Insurance.

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$16,000

$93,000

Salary Distribution
Florida – $50,662Rank: 36th
The average salary ranks 36th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Attis Resources, llc, STR Inc, Ryder, and Ascendo Resources.

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$14,000

$125,000

Salary Distribution
Georgia – $59,257Rank: 20th
The average salary ranks 20th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Allied Automotive Group, U.S. Air Force, Randstad, and CHASE Professionals.

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$18,000

$123,000

Salary Distribution
Hawaii – $56,562Rank: 26th
The average salary ranks 26th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like ALTRES Office and U.S. Army.

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$19,000

$113,000

Salary Distribution
Iowa – $56,832Rank: 23rd
The average salary ranks 23rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Plant Site Logistics, Inc. and Team Staffing Solutions.

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$15,000

$124,000

Salary Distribution
Illinois – $66,732Rank: 7th
The average salary ranks 7th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like AutoPro Technical, Cameron Craig Group, Jim Crumpley & Associates, and Step Beyond.

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$16,000

$150,000

Salary Distribution
Indiana – $56,802Rank: 24th
The average salary ranks 24th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Ryder, Robert Half Finance & Accounting, Michael J. Hood BC & MS, and GILFORD FLOORING.

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  • Most Reported
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$15,000

$124,000

Salary Distribution
Kansas – $61,781Rank: 12th
The average salary ranks 12th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like U.S. Army.

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$17,000

$133,000

Salary Distribution
Kentucky – $82,531Rank: 1st
The average salary ranks 1st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like MJ Recruiters, LLC, Professional Recruiting Partners, LLC, Ploeger Recruiting Services, and Bertram & Associates.

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  • Most Reported
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$27,000

$168,000

Salary Distribution
Louisiana – $54,575Rank: 29th
The average salary ranks 29th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like U.S. Army.

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$14,000

$127,000

Salary Distribution
Massachusetts – $66,685Rank: 8th
The average salary ranks 8th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like International Business Promotion, Inc. (IBP, Inc.).

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  • Most Reported
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$17,000

$149,000

Salary Distribution
Maryland – $60,904Rank: 16th
The average salary ranks 16th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Robert Half Finance & Accounting, Hungry Harvest, and Watkins Recruiting Group, LLC.

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  • Most Reported
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$15,000

$137,000

Salary Distribution
Michigan – $74,622Rank: 3rd
The average salary ranks 3rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like PMG Employment Consultants, Systematic business consulting, CMD And Associates, and Cameron Craig Group.

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$26,000

$147,000

Salary Distribution
Minnesota – $57,755Rank: 21st
The average salary ranks 21st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like gpac, Aerotek, NS WORLD LOGISTICS, and Katapult Network.

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$14,000

$134,000

Salary Distribution
Missouri – $52,576Rank: 35th
The average salary ranks 35th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like gpac, CHASE Professionals, Ryder, and Ameristaff.

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$14,000

$122,000

Salary Distribution
North Carolina – $52,857Rank: 34th
The average salary ranks 34th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like CyberCoders, Groupe LEADER, U.S. Army, and U.S. Marine Corps.

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$14,000

$130,000

Salary Distribution
New Jersey – $61,565Rank: 13th
The average salary ranks 13th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like JobBrokers and HomeDeliveryLink.

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$14,000

$153,000

Salary Distribution
Nevada – $53,555Rank: 33rd
The average salary ranks 33rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Ryder.

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$18,000

$107,000

Salary Distribution
New York – $65,456Rank: 10th
The average salary ranks 10th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Cameron Craig Group, AutoPro Technical Recruiting, Gables Search Group, and Integrated Staffing.

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$20,000

$135,000

Salary Distribution
Ohio – $55,057Rank: 28th
The average salary ranks 28th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Ryder, FedEx, Total Quality Logistics (TQL), and First Star Logistics, LLC.

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$14,000

$130,000

Salary Distribution
Oklahoma – $55,978Rank: 27th
The average salary ranks 27th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Employer Flexible, Ryder, U.S. Army, and CFS of Oklahoma City – Oklahoma City, OK.

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  • Most Reported
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$15,000

$123,000

Salary Distribution
Oregon – $67,965Rank: 5th
The average salary ranks 5th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like SRG, Specialized Recruiting Group, and Ryder.

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$21,000

$141,000

Salary Distribution
Pennsylvania – $59,934Rank: 18th
The average salary ranks 18th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like CIG, TQM Logistics Solutions, Inc., Manpower, and Robert Half Finance & Accounting.

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$18,000

$126,000

Salary Distribution
South Carolina – $61,848Rank: 11th
The average salary ranks 11th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like CIG, Anheuser-Busch, U.S. Air Force, and UST Logistical Systems.

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  • Most Reported
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$21,000

$124,000

Salary Distribution
South Dakota – $23,040Rank: 38th
The average salary ranks 38th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Key Staffing.

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$7.25

$18.00

Salary Distribution
Tennessee – $65,726Rank: 9th
The average salary ranks 9th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Randstad, JobBrokers, Ryder, and UST Logistical Systems.

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$20,000

$137,000

Salary Distribution
Texas – $59,620Rank: 19th
The average salary ranks 19th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Michael Page, University of Texas Medical Branch, Carlton Staffing, and Tropic Brokers Inc.

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$14,000

$137,000

Salary Distribution
Utah – $54,525Rank: 30th
The average salary ranks 30th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Premier Employee Solutions.

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$15,000

$117,000

Salary Distribution
Virginia – $61,454Rank: 14th
The average salary ranks 14th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like U.S. Army, GVI, Inc., and U.S. Navy.

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  • Most Reported
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$16,000

$136,000

Salary Distribution
Washington – $61,091Rank: 15th
The average salary ranks 15th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Ryder and U.S. Army.

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  • Most Reported
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$16,000

$135,000

Salary Distribution
Wisconsin – $78,369Rank: 2nd
The average salary ranks 2nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Select Technical Staffing.

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$25,000

$160,000

Salary Distribution

Top 20 National Employers

According to Indeed.com, the following states had employers looking to hire a Logistics Manager. The quoted salary figure represents the average salary from all job postings by this employer.

Employer NameLocationAverage Salary
Facebook Logistics ManagerCalifornia$139,757
General Transportation, Inc. Logistics ManagerArkansas$121,125
NES Global Talent Logistics ManagerTexas$112,888
PeopleSourcer Logistics ManagerGeorgia$110,000
Icard Enterprises-Automotive Recruiters Logistics ManagerIllinois$107,048
TruPath Logistics ManagerCalifornia$106,164
Global Career Connection Logistics ManagerMichigan$105,547
Retaily Group LLC dba Soap Des Jour Logistics ManagerArizona$100,755
Cameron Craig Group Logistics ManagerKentucky$100,450
Mangrum Career Solutions, LLC Logistics ManagerIllinois$100,000
(Fortune 500 Auto Supplier) to $108K Total Comp Logistics ManagerMichigan$100,000
Robert Half Finance & Accounting Logistics ManagerMaryland$99,504
SkillSet Group Logistics ManagerCalifornia$96,529
MJ Recruiters, LLC Logistics ManagerKentucky$96,084
Professional Recruiting Partners, LLC Logistics ManagerKentucky$96,084
Ploeger Recruiting Services Logistics ManagerKentucky$96,084
Bertram & Associates Logistics ManagerKentucky$96,084
Lodestar Executive Search Logistics ManagerKentucky$96,084
Bio-Partners Logistics ManagerKentucky$96,084
CMD And Associates Logistics ManagerKentucky$96,084

Learn More

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Account Manager$62,548
Project Analyst$62,133
Marketing Analyst$61,822
Finance Officer$61,442
Operations Analyst$60,651
Advertising Manager$59,245
Logistics Analyst$58,389

Henry Steele
Managing Editor
Henry is Managing Editor of BusinessStudent.com. He is a seasoned business professional who regularly consults with local business's throughout Southern California. Henry pursued his undergrad in Business and Economics at the University of San Diego and gained valuable life changing experience through a unique internship upon graduation.

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