Logistics Jobs, Salary
& Career Paths

Procurement and purchasing managers lead at a $148,080 median (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 11-3061), followed by transportation, storage and distribution managers at $107,230 (SOC 11-3071), where the top 10% clear $194,900. Logisticians and supply-chain analysts earn a $82,320 median. Among hourly roles, warehouse supervisors ($62,890) and heavy truck drivers ($58,640) top the field, and Alaska pays drivers $70,100.

CDL Class A drivers, especially hazmat and tanker drivers with the H, N or X endorsements, are the hardest roles to fill, followed by warehouse supervisors, dispatchers and supply-chain analysts. Warehousing and storage alone employs 1.85 million people (BLS CES, June 2026) after a decade of distribution build-out, and the credentialed driver pool grows more slowly than freight volume.

Drivers do. A commercial driver's licence is required for vehicles over 26,001 lbs, placarded hazmat or 16-plus passengers; the standards are federal (FMCSA, 49 CFR 383) and the licence is issued by your state agency, with mandatory ELDT training since February 2022. Hazmat and tanker work adds a TSA threat assessment ($86.50), and port work adds a TWIC card ($125.25). Forklift operators need employer training and evaluation under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.178(l). Warehouse and supply-chain roles are unlicensed.

Heavy and tractor-trailer drivers (SOC 53-3032) earn a $58,640 national median per BLS OEWS May 2025, from $40,140 at the 10th percentile to $79,380 at the 90th, across 2,062,040 employed, the largest single role in the sector. Alaska pays the most at a $70,100 median, followed by Washington ($64,760) and New Jersey ($63,570). Tanker and hazmat endorsements typically pay a premium over dry-van freight.

CDLs and endorsements are verified with the issuing state driver licensing agency, and the DOT medical certificate is confirmed against the FMCSA National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. Driving records (MVR) and DOT drug-and-alcohol Clearinghouse status are screened before shortlist. TWIC is verified with TSA, OSHA cards against DOL authorized trainer records, and forklift evaluations with the prior employer. No unverified driver reaches a shortlist.

Two routes. On the warehouse side, associate, picker and shipping-clerk roles hire with no credential, and forklift training is provided on the job under OSHA rules; from there the ladder runs to supervisor and warehouse manager. On the driving side, CDL school runs 3 to 8 weeks and $3,000 to $8,000, though many carriers run paid training or reimburse tuition, and federal ELDT training is mandatory for first-time Class A and B applicants.

Yes, especially with a credential. Transportation and warehousing employs 6.6 million people, the CDL transfers to all 50 states, and hazmat and tanker endorsements pay a premium. Median pay runs from $40,240 for warehouse associates to $148,080 for procurement managers, and the supervisory and supply-chain ladder ($62,890 to $107,230) is reachable without a four-year degree.