Transportation & Distribution Manager
Transportation, storage, and distribution managers plan, direct, or coordinate the movement of people and goods.
What the job is
- The work
- Transportation, storage, and distribution managers plan, direct, or coordinate the movement of people and goods.
BLS
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Work environment
- Most transportation, storage, and distribution managers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week.
BLS
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Good fit for
- Hands-on leaders who like running warehouses, fleets or distribution networks and fixing problems fast.
- Career cluster
- Supply Chain & Transportation
Key numbers
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, pay for May 2025 (transportation, storage, and distribution managers).
- Median pay
- $107,230 a year ($51.55 an hour)
BLS
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Jobs in 2025
- 228,100
- Typical entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- 5 years or more
- Training after hire
- None
Job outlook, 2025–35
- Projected growth
- +6%, which BLS calls "faster than average"
BLS
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Jobs added
- +14,000 over 2025–35
- All U.S. jobs
- 3.5% over the same period, for comparison
How to become one
- The usual route
- 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.
BLS
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- In short
- Transportation, storage and distribution managers typically need a high school diploma, though some employers prefer or require a bachelor's degree, plus several years of related work experience. Some need a driver's license or a commercial driver's license (CDL).
- License
- Driver's license or CDL for some jobs. Some managers may need a driver's license or a commercial driver's license (CDL). Depending on the goods or facility, some states have additional licensing requirements, and managers who oversee some workers, such as engineers or marine captains, may need that occupation's license.
- By state
- State rules on the roadmap
- Paying for it
- File the FAFSA (opens by October 1) for grants, work-study and federal loans; a Pell Grant pays up to $7,395 a year (2026–27). Average public four-year tuition and fees: $11,950 in-state vs $31,880 out-of-state (2025–26). Residency rules and regional discounts · Save with 2+2 transfer
- Your state
-
StateChoose a state
- AlabamaState guide
- AlaskaState guide
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- ArkansasState guide
- CaliforniaState guide
- ColoradoState guide
- ConnecticutState guide
- DelawareState guide
- District of ColumbiaState guide
- FloridaState guide
- GeorgiaState guide
- HawaiiState guide
- IdahoState guide
- IllinoisState guide
- IndianaState guide
- IowaState guide
- KansasState guide
- KentuckyState guide
- LouisianaState guide
- MaineState guide
- MarylandState guide
- MassachusettsState guide
- MichiganState guide
- MinnesotaState guide
- MississippiState guide
- MissouriState guide
- MontanaState guide
- NebraskaState guide
- NevadaState guide
- New HampshireState guide
- New JerseyState guide
- New MexicoState guide
- New YorkState guide
- North CarolinaState guide
- North DakotaState guide
- OhioState guide
- OklahomaState guide
- OregonState guide
- PennsylvaniaState guide
- Rhode IslandState guide
- South CarolinaState guide
- South DakotaState guide
- TennesseeState guide
- TexasState guide
- UtahState guide
- VermontState guide
- VirginiaState guide
- WashingtonState guide
- West VirginiaState guide
- WisconsinState guide
- WyomingState guide
Step-by-step roadmap
The routes step by step, the exam gates and the state license step are on one page.
Transportation, storage and distribution manager: high school diploma or degree, then years of related work
See the roadmap
Route 1: Warehouse or transport job → supervisor → manager · Route 2: Supply chain, business or engineering degree → manager
More careers in Supply Chain & Transportation
Open the cluster hubEvery career page in this cluster, with entry, license, pay and outlook side by side.
Every number links to the BLS page it came from, checked 20 Oct 2026. Education Margdarshan does not recommend paid courses.