Logisticians: Career Profile
Analyze and coordinate the ongoing logistical functions of a firm or organization. Responsible for the entire life cycle of a product, including acquisition, distribution, internal allocation, delivery, and final disposal of resources.
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What Do Logisticians Do?
The core tasks performed by logisticians span:
- Maintain and develop positive business relationships with a customer's key personnel involved in, or directly relevant to, a logistics activity.
- Develop an understanding of customers' needs and take actions to ensure that such needs are met.
- Manage subcontractor activities, reviewing proposals, developing performance specifications, and serving as liaisons between subcontractors and organizations.
- Develop proposals that include documentation for estimates.
- Review logistics performance with customers against targets, benchmarks, and service agreements.
- Direct availability and allocation of materials, supplies, and finished products.
- Redesign the movement of goods to maximize value and minimize costs.
- Explain proposed solutions to customers, management, or other interested parties through written proposals and oral presentations.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective logisticians draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Acquisition Analyst
- Automated Logistics Specialist
- Client Services Administrator
- Delivery Coordinator
- Demand Planner
- Distribution Associate
- Distribution Specialist
- Inventory Analyst
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 219,396 logisticians working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +5.8% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Logisticians
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $82,238 |
| Hourly median | $39.54 |
| 10th percentile | $52,372 |
| 25th percentile | $67,305 |
| 75th percentile | $97,171 |
| 90th percentile | $112,104 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Logisticians Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $117,500 |
| Maryland | $102,000 |
| Washington | $101,830 |
| Virginia | $98,620 |
| Colorado | $96,860 |
| Hawaii | $96,700 |
| Massachusetts | $96,630 |
| Wyoming | $95,640 |
| Alabama | $95,030 |
| New Jersey | $93,710 |
| California | $90,950 |
| Oregon | $89,920 |
| Delaware | $89,840 |
| New Mexico | $87,960 |
| Maine | $86,700 |
| Oklahoma | $85,840 |
| Utah | $84,000 |
| Alaska | $83,390 |
| New York | $83,070 |
| Vermont | $82,980 |
| South Dakota | $82,220 |
| Minnesota | $82,020 |
| Arizona | $81,680 |
| Ohio | $81,400 |
| Connecticut | $81,390 |
| Michigan | $80,000 |
| Iowa | $79,730 |
| Indiana | $78,430 |
| Rhode Island | $77,830 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,740 |
| Montana | $77,380 |
| North Carolina | $77,030 |
| North Dakota | $77,020 |
| South Carolina | $76,920 |
| Wisconsin | $76,590 |
| Illinois | $76,550 |
| Nevada | $76,350 |
| Mississippi | $76,280 |
| Texas | $75,360 |
| Louisiana | $74,230 |
| Georgia | $73,880 |
| Arkansas | $73,710 |
| Missouri | $72,850 |
| New Hampshire | $72,810 |
| West Virginia | $70,690 |
| Idaho | $69,910 |
| Kentucky | $69,630 |
| Florida | $68,990 |
| Guam | $64,190 |
| Nebraska | $63,040 |
| Tennessee | $61,440 |
| Kansas | $51,430 |
| Puerto Rico | $45,650 |
Where Logisticians Earn the Most
Pay for logisticians shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $92,001 | 16.4% | 1.00 |
| New England | $90,359 | 4.1% | 0.90 |
| Rocky Mountains | $89,193 | 4.1% | 1.18 |
| Middle Atlantic | $88,832 | 13.2% | 1.04 |
| Great Lakes | $78,840 | 16.7% | 1.23 |
| Southwest | $77,949 | 12.4% | 1.02 |
| Southeast | $77,754 | 26.9% | 1.19 |
| Plains States | $71,520 | 5.9% | 0.92 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City, SD | SD | $146,690 | 100 |
| Lexington Park, MD | MD | $128,940 | 1,370 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $121,260 | 2,570 |
| Huntsville, AL | AL | $110,550 | 3,050 |
| Pueblo, CO | CO | $107,860 | 80 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $107,420 | 4,950 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $106,660 | 6,760 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | CA | $104,480 | 1,000 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of logisticians are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 54,140 | $83,720 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 35,170 | $82,330 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 27,970 | $62,710 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 25,500 | $84,960 |
| Wholesale Trade | 25,260 | $73,090 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 9,070 | $63,510 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 4,680 | $64,310 |
| Information | 3,810 | $96,120 |
Logisticians work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Accounting software: Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Project management software: Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Document management software: Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft SQL Server (hot technology)
- Process mapping and design software: Microsoft Visio (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for logisticians is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Contact With Others
How to Become Logisticians
Most logisticians positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Industrial Production Managers (Primary-Long)
- Purchasing Managers (Primary-Long)
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (Primary-Short)
- Supply Chain Managers (Primary-Short)
- Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products (Primary-Long)
- Logistics Engineers (Primary-Short)
- Logistics Analysts (Primary-Short)
- Project Management Specialists (Primary-Short)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Future logisticians typically earn programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
3 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 13-1081.00 (Logisticians).
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