According to a new survey, the median salary for managers in the logistics industry has reached $95,000 per year.
The survey — which was conducted by the Peerless Research Group for Logistics Management — also found that managers between the ages of 45 and 54 earn the most money. But logistics managers in the 35 to 44 age group saw a big bump in their median annual salary. Last year, it was $65,000 while in 2015 it was $91,000.
Most Managers Received Raises This Year
Overall, 60% of respondents said their salary has improved during the past year or at least kept pace with the cost of living.
Other findings include:
- Most logistics managers (60%) received a raise during the past year while 35% said there was no change and 5% actually earned less money than the previous year.
- 77% of logistics managers surveyed said their responsibilities have increased during the past year while 20% said they have stayed the same and 3% said they are actually being asked to do less.
- Job satisfaction remains high as more than 50% of respondents said they were “very” happy in their current position.
- Logistics managers who stay with their employer longer tend to earn more compared to those who leave to pursue other opportunities. But at the same time, more than 50% of those surveyed said “job pursuit” is something they are interested in.
- Managers with an MBA had a substantially higher median salary — $144,000 per year — while those with other advanced degrees had a median salary of $133,375.
- Male logistics managers earn more than their female counterparts. The median salary for men was more than $100,000 while women in positions with similar job descriptions had a median salary of only $86,370.
- 83% of respondents said they would encourage their children and friends to pursue logistics management as a career path.
Median Pay by Job Title
The job title that had the highest median salary was vice president/general manager ($156,000), followed by corporate division manager ($142,000), supply chain director/manager ($130,000), distribution director/manager ($108,500), transportation director/manager ($104,500), engineering management ($101,000), consultant ($100,000), logistics director/manager ($95,000), sales ($92,000), operations manager ($89,000), purchasing/produrement director/manager ($85,000), traffic manager ($65,000), and warehouse director/manager ($62,000).
Regionally, the highest logistics managers were in the Midwest and New England, which were tied with a median annual salary of $115,000, followed by the West ($105,000), the Southeast ($101,500), Mountain ($91,000), and the South ($90,000).
Respondents said the money they earn was not the only determinator of how satisfied they were in their jobs — or even the most important one. Having a “feeling of accomplishment” was the top vote-getter (64%), followed by having a good “relationship with colleagues” (52%). Only 48% cited salary as their top concern.
Always Looking to Improve
Most logistics managers surveyed said they would be interested in working for someone else if the conditions were right. Only 31% said they were “happy where I am”. Of the rest, 42% said they were always looking for better opportunities, 18% said they were passively looking, and 9% said they were actively looking for a new job.
The survey was based on questionnaires filled out by 700 qualified readers of Logistics Management. Participants were asked about their total compensation package, including their salaries, bonuses and other income.
This was the 31st consecutive year that Logistics Management has conducted its salary survey.