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Logisticians

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $82,320 Median per year · $39.58/hr Most earn $50,890–$133,160

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Collaborate with other departments as necessary to meet customer requirements, to take advantage of sales opportunities or, in the case of shortages, to minimize negative impacts on a business.
  • Direct availability and allocation of materials, supplies, and finished products.
  • Perform managerial duties such as hiring and training employees and overseeing facility needs or requirements.
  • Direct and support the compilation and analysis of technical source data necessary for product development.
  • Maintain and develop positive business relationships with a customer's key personnel involved in, or directly relevant to, a logistics activity.
  • Explain proposed solutions to customers, management, or other interested parties through written proposals and oral presentations.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
18% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 26,600 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Federal government, excluding postal service14.0%
  • Management of companies and enterprises10.7%
  • Management, scientific, and technical consulting services5.2%
  • Freight transportation arrangement3.5%
  • Aerospace product and parts manufacturing3.3%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Logisticians usually need a bachelor's degree and often 2 to 4 years of related work experience, so this is not typically a job you start straight out of school. Many people build that experience in purchasing, inventory, or shipping roles first.

  1. High school diploma, then a bachelor's degree in supply chain, logistics, or business

    4 years

    A degree gives you the core knowledge of how products move from suppliers to customers and how to plan for it.

  2. Purchasing Agent

    2-4 years

    You learn how an organization buys materials and services, works with suppliers, and tracks costs and delivery times, which are key parts of logistics.

  3. Logistician

    Ongoing career

    You analyze and coordinate how resources are acquired, stored, moved, and disposed of across a company's whole product life cycle.

Where it can lead

  1. Supply Chain Manager

    6-8 years of experience first

    You move from analyzing single parts of the process to leading the whole supply chain, including budgets, teams, and long-term planning.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and statistics classesStrong math skills help you analyze delivery times, costs, and inventory numbers, which is a daily part of logistics work.
  • Take a business, economics, or computer classThese classes introduce how companies buy, sell, and move products, and basic computer skills prepare you for data tools.
  • Join a business or leadership clubClubs that practice presentations and teamwork build the communication skills logisticians use when working with suppliers and managers.
  • Get a part-time job in retail, a warehouse, or a grocery storeStocking shelves, receiving deliveries, or managing inventory shows you firsthand how products move through a supply chain.
  • Volunteer with a food bank or charity that handles donationsSorting, tracking, and distributing donated goods is a small-scale version of real logistics work.

In college

  • Major in supply chain management, logistics, or businessA degree in one of these fields covers the planning, transportation, and inventory concepts that logisticians use every day.
  • Take courses in statistics, data analysis, and spreadsheetsAnalyzing data to find delivery delays or cost savings is a core part of the job, so these skills make you more competitive.
  • Pursue an internship in shipping, warehousing, or purchasingHands-on experience gives you the 2 to 4 years of related work that employers often look for, and it may lead to a job offer.
  • Work a campus job in the shipping, receiving, or bookstore officeTracking deliveries and managing stock on campus builds practical skills and shows employers you can handle real operations.
  • Join a supply chain or business student organizationThese groups offer networking, guest speakers from the industry, and sometimes case competitions that look good on a resume.

Tips for getting started

  • Get comfortable with spreadsheets early. Logisticians spend a lot of time analyzing data, and Excel skills are widely expected.
  • Look for any job that touches shipping, inventory, or buying, even part-time. Two to four years of this kind of experience is typically expected, and it helps you see how real operations work.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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