BUSINESS Zone 4: Considerable Preparation

Logisticians

Logisticians is one of the fastest-growing occupations in the country, projected to grow +17.6% through 2035. Median pay sits at $82,320 nationally, a strong return for the training investment.

About Logisticians

This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a logisticians: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Business Administration and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.

Analyze and coordinate the ongoing logistical functions of a firm or organization. Responsible for the entire life cycle of a product, including acquisition, distribution, internal allocation, delivery, and final disposal of resources.


Median Wage
$82,320
Employed Nationally
251K
Openings / Year
26,600
Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
Job Zone
Zone 4: Considerable Preparation

Also known as:

Acquisition Analyst Automated Logistics Specialist Client Services Administrator Delivery Coordinator Demand Planner

How Much Do Logisticians Make?

Most logisticians take home around $82,320 a year, above what most college graduates make. Half earn somewhere between $64,440 and $106,190, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. A solid living in most parts of the country. Source: BLS.

A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.

$82,320
National Median (Annual)

Above the national median for college graduates.

$64K–$106K
Middle 50% Range

25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.


Earnings Range

What Do Logisticians Do?

This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.

What You'll Do

  • Maintain and develop positive business relationships with a customer's key personnel involved in, or directly relevant to, a logistics activity.
  • Develop an understanding of customers' needs and take actions to ensure that such needs are met.
  • Manage subcontractor activities, reviewing proposals, developing performance specifications, and serving as liaisons between subcontractors and organizations.
  • Develop proposals that include documentation for estimates.
  • Review logistics performance with customers against targets, benchmarks, and service agreements.

Core Skills Employers Look For

Systems Analysis Writing Systems Evaluation Complex Problem Solving Critical Thinking

Who Thrives Here

C
Conventional

Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.

C
Conventional

Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.

C
Conventional

Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.

Where Do Logisticians Work?

What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.

Work Setting
Mixed

Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.

Physical Demands
Light

Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.

Stress Level
Moderate

Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.

What Is the Job Outlook for Logisticians?

Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +17.6%, meaning it is growing faster than most occupations, so jobs should be easier to find over time. Around 26,600 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.

Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.

↗ +17.6%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)

Much faster than average.

26,600
Annual Openings

New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.

251K
Currently Employed

Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.

Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.

Where the Jobs Are

The five states below employ the most Logisticians professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $82,320 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.

# State Jobs Median Wage vs. National
1 California 32,940 $92,890 +12.8%
2 Texas 21,030 $75,480 -8.3%
3 Florida 15,020 $76,410 -7.2%
4 Illinois 14,170 $80,100 -2.7%
5 Georgia 12,580 $77,570 -5.8%

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →

How to Get Here

To get hired here you will usually need a bachelor's degree. The program below is the most common route in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.

Bachelor's degree
Zone 4: Considerable Preparation

These positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles.


Degree Programs That Lead Here

# Program Graduates/yr 4yr Median Colleges
1 Business Administration 395,227 $68,257 2,611

Top Colleges for Aspiring Logisticians

Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.

# College UCD Score Net Price Salary 10yr
1 United States Coast Guard Academy New London, CT 96 — —
2 United States Air Force Academy USAF Academy, CO 96 — —
3 United States Military Academy West Point, NY 96 — —
4 CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY 93 $3,033 $75,971
5 University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 93 $12,548 $82,511
6 University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA 93 $13,481 $92,446

Plan Your Path

Once you've sized up Logisticians, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.

Logisticians Pros & Cons

Strong earnings and growing demand make Logisticians a compelling path. The 4 strengths and 1 trade-offs below are drawn from BLS wage data and employment projections.

PROS
  • Above-average pay At $82,320 median annually, this career pays meaningfully more than most college-graduate roles. Financial return on education is typically strong.
  • Exceptional job growth The BLS projects +17.6% employment growth through 2035, one of the fastest rates across all occupations. Demand for qualified candidates should remain elevated for a decade.
  • High earning ceiling Top earners (75th percentile) reach $106,190 annually. Strong performers, specialists, and those in high-cost markets have significant upside beyond the median.
  • Wide job market 251K professionals are employed in this field, large enough to offer geographic flexibility and multiple entry paths.
CONS
  • Multi-year ramp before career-level pay This is a Job Zone 4 occupation, these positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles. Most workers in this field spend their first several years at entry-level pay well below the $82,320 median while building the experience employers require.

Logisticians Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Logisticians professionals earn?
Around $82,320 a year for the typical worker, above the national median for full-time workers. The middle 50% of earners fall between $64,440 and $106,190. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Logisticians a good career?
Yes, the data is strong. Median pay of $82,320 with +17.6% projected growth through 2035 is a combination most fields cannot match. The real variable is early career: workers around the 25th percentile earn $64,440, so your first employer and location will shape your trajectory more than the national number suggests.
How long does it take to work as Logisticians?
Expect 4 years of undergraduate education followed by 2 or more years of field experience before most employers consider you qualified for career-level positions. A bachelor's degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Business Administration are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $82,320 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
How fast is the Logisticians field growing?
Very fast. The BLS projects +17.6% growth for Logisticians through 2035, well above the roughly 5% national average and among the fastest rates across all occupations. Demand is being driven by structural forces, not cyclical ones. About 26,600 job openings per year are expected as the field expands and existing workers move on. From a current base of 251K workers, sustained growth creates real hiring volume, though fast-growing fields also attract more new graduates competing for entry-level roles.
What skills do Logisticians professionals need?
Mainly Systems Analysis, Writing, Systems Evaluation, Complex Problem Solving, and Critical Thinking. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.

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