What is the salary and career path for a fleet manager?
Fleet managers sit in the broad Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers code, SOC 11-3071, at an OEWS May 2025 median of $107,230 a year ($51.55 an hour), from $65,120 at the 10th percentile to $194,900 at the 90th — a wide band because the code covers everything from a small local fleet to a national distribution network, and most single-fleet managers sit below the median rather than above it. BLS projects 6.1% growth over 2024–2034 with about 18,500 openings a year. There is no licence for the role, but the responsibilities are regulatory: systematic vehicle inspection, repair and maintenance records under 49 CFR Part 396, driver qualification files under Part 391, hours-of-service and ELD compliance under Part 395, and DOT testing under Part 382. NAFA's CAFM is the recognised certification.
- Fleet Managers earn a national median $107,230/yr ($51.55/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 11-3071); the top 10% clear $194,900.
- No licence exists, but the role owns FMCSA compliance: maintenance records under 49 CFR Part 396, driver files under Part 391, hours of service under Part 395 and testing under Part 382.
- BLS projects 6.1% growth 2024–34 with about 18,500 openings a year across the broad SOC 11-3071 code.
- NAFA's CAFM is the recognised certification, and cost-per-mile and uptime results are what move pay through the $65,120–$194,900 band.
Career Path
How do you become a fleet manager?
Fleet coordinator or shop supervisor
Scheduling preventive maintenance, managing work orders and registrations; entry into this code sits near the 10th percentile of $65,120.
Fleet manager
Owning vehicle specification, maintenance programme, driver compliance and cost per mile for a fleet, around the $107,230 national median for SOC 11-3071.
Senior or multi-region fleet manager
Multi-location fleets with capital replacement planning and safety programme ownership pay toward the 75th percentile of $146,770.
Director of fleet or transportation
Enterprise asset strategy, capital budgeting and DOT safety accountability across the operation reaches the 90th percentile at $194,900.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays fleet managers the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 11-3071. National median: $107,230. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does fleet manager pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles fleet managers most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: fleet managers rank 1 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +6.1% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly fleet managers clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 11-3071 (fleet managers) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do fleet managers need?
NAFA Fleet Management Association's credential covering asset, financial, operational and risk management; the standard professional certification for the role across private and public fleets. See all state licences →
Not a certificate but the legal core of the job: drug and alcohol testing, driver qualification files, hours of service, and systematic inspection, repair and maintenance records.
Many fleet managers hold a commercial driver's license from an earlier driving or shop role; it is not a requirement of the management position but adds credibility with drivers and technicians.
Automotive Service Excellence certifications, particularly the medium/heavy truck series, are common among managers promoted from the shop and help in evaluating repair decisions and technician performance.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do fleet managers use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 11-3071
Salary Levers
How do fleet managers earn above the $107,230 BLS median?
Fleet size and asset value
Large multi-region fleets with capital replacement budgets sit toward the $146,770 seventy-fifth percentile; small local fleets sit nearer the $65,120 tenth percentile
Regulatory exposure
Managing DOT-regulated commercial vehicles with CSA accountability pays above managing light-duty service fleets
Cost-per-mile and uptime results
Documented reduction in maintenance cost per mile with uptime held is the metric that drives promotion in this function
Certification and enterprise scope
CAFM plus enterprise asset and capital responsibility is what reaches the $194,900 top decile
This Route vs. College
Is becoming a fleet manager worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 11-3071. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Fleet Manager Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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