Finance & Management SOC 11-3071 Job Zone 3 · Medium Preparation ● 2026 BLS Empirical Benchmark

Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025 · Methodology

Plan, direct, or coordinate transportation, storage, or distribution activities in accordance with organizational policies and applicable government laws or regulations. Includes logistics managers.

National Median Wage
$107,230 / yr
$51.55 / hour
National Employment 183,350 Reported BLS Workforce
Highest-Paying State New Hampshire $130,830 / yr Median
Top Metro Market San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $177,400 / yr Median

National Wage Percentile Spectrum

Empirical distribution from entry-level apprentice (10th percentile) to senior principal / master tier (90th percentile).

Spread Delta (P90 - P10) $129,780 / yr
10th (Entry) $65,120 $31.31/hr
25th (Junior) $82,440 $39.63/hr
50th (Median) $107,230 $51.55/hr
75th (Senior) $146,770 $70.56/hr
90th (Master) $194,900 $93.70/hr

Nationwide State Salary Rankings

State-by-state empirical labor compensation benchmarked against local cost of living and purchasing power.

Rank State Median Salary Hourly Rate CoL Adjusted Real Wage Total Employed Top Metro in State CoL Index
#1 New Hampshire NH $130,830 $62.90/hr $114,162 240 Manchester-Nashua, NH 114.6
#2 New Jersey NJ $129,400 $62.21/hr $109,568 660 Trenton-Princeton, NJ 118.1
#3 District of Columbia DC $129,050 $62.04/hr $81,214 2,570 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 158.9
#4 Colorado CO $127,925 $61.50/hr $109,151 2,020 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO 117.2
#5 Washington WA $126,560 $60.85/hr $110,436 2,140 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 114.6
#6 Alabama AL $119,666 $57.54/hr $115,619 890 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL 103.5
#7 Wyoming WY $116,550 $56.03/hr $115,396 30 Cheyenne, WY 101.0
#8 Illinois IL $115,647 $55.60/hr $110,035 9,520 Decatur, IL 105.1

Top Metropolitan Areas for Maximum Earnings

High-yield metros commanding premier compensation, rent affordability, and living wage coverage.

1,760 Jobs · HUD 1BR: $2,778/mo
$177,400 / yr median
$85.29 / hour
Decatur, IL COLI 99.7
110 Jobs · HUD 1BR: $857/mo
$160,460 / yr median
$77.15 / hour
1,690 Jobs · HUD 1BR: $2,180/mo
$146,080 / yr median
$70.23 / hour
3,750 Jobs · HUD 1BR: $3,003/mo
$145,170 / yr median
$69.79 / hour
120 Jobs · HUD 1BR: $1,589/mo
$144,910 / yr median
$69.67 / hour
Boulder, CO COLI 129.3
150 Jobs · HUD 1BR: $1,735/mo
$142,270 / yr median
$68.40 / hour

Career Ladder & Progression Stages

Typical milestones from entry level to senior roles.

Logistics Coordinator0-2 Years
$65,100

Bachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field

Operations Supervisor2-5 Years
$82,400

Demonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities

Transportation & Distribution Manager5-9 Years
$107,200

Full professional competence; leads projects or a small team

Senior Distribution Manager9-14 Years
$146,800

Owns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program

Director of Logistics14+ Years
$194,900

Executive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession

Skill-Adjacent Career Opportunities

Direct lateral transitions capitalizing on shared occupational competencies and BLS wage differentials.

Occupational Labor Economics & Frequently Asked Questions

Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers Salaries & Wage Percentiles Overview

Explore national wage percentiles (10th to 90th), top-paying metropolitan areas, & career ladder progression for Transportation, Storage, & Distribution. Official 2026 economic data for Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the national median salary for Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers in 2026?

National compensation benchmarks for Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers range across the 10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentiles based on BLS OEWS labor market statistics.

Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers: Where the Pay Is Highest

The national median for Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers is $107,230 per year ($51.55/hour). BLS OEWS publishes this occupation in 348 metropolitan areas, where median pay ranges from $76,640 in State College, PA to $177,400 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA.

Top-paying metropolitan areas for Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs national
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$177,400+65.4%
Decatur, IL$160,460+49.6%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$146,080+36.2%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$145,170+35.4%
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO$144,910+35.1%
Boulder, CO$142,270+32.7%
Trenton-Princeton, NJ$138,760+29.4%
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$135,220+26.1%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$133,640+24.6%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$131,970+23.1%
Manchester-Nashua, NH$130,830+22.0%
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL$129,840+21.1%