What Logisticians Do
Logisticians analyze and coordinate an organization’s supply chain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42uJcWOD1ts
Work Environment
Logisticians work in nearly every industry. The job can be stressful because logistical work is fast-paced. Most logisticians work full time during regular business hours.
How to Become a Logistician
A bachelor’s degree is typically required to enter the occupation, although an associate’s degree may be sufficient for some logistician jobs.
Pay
The median annual wage for logisticians was $74,750 in May 2019.
Job Outlook
Employment of logisticians is projected to grow 4 percent from 2019 to 2029, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Job prospects should be best for candidates who have experience using logistical software or doing logistical work for the military.
Logisticians analyze and coordinate an organization’s supply chain—the system that moves a product from supplier to consumer. They manage the entire life cycle of a product, which includes how a product is acquired, allocated, and delivered.
Duties
Logisticians typically do the following:
- Manage a product’s life cycle from design to disposal
- Direct the allocation of materials, supplies, and products
- Develop business relationships with suppliers and clients
- Understand clients’ needs and how to meet them
- Review logistical functions and identify areas for improvement
- Propose strategies to minimize the cost or time required to transport goods
Logisticians oversee activities that include purchasing, transportation, inventory, and warehousing. They may direct the movement of a range of goods, people, or supplies, from common consumer goods to military supplies and personnel.
Logisticians use software systems to plan and track the movement of products. They operate software programs designed specifically to manage logistical functions, such as procurement, inventory management, and other supply chain planning and management systems.
Logisticians held about 188,200 jobs in 2019. The largest employers of logisticians were as follows:
| Manufacturing | 24% |
| Federal government | 18 |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 16 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 10 |
| Wholesale trade | 9 |
Logisticians work in almost every industry. Some logisticians work in the logistical department of a company, and others work for firms that specialize in logistical work, such as freight-shipping companies.
The job can be stressful because logistical work is fast-paced. Logisticians must ensure that operations stay on schedule, and they must work quickly to solve any problems that arise. Some logisticians travel to manufacturing plants or distribution centers.
Work Schedules
The majority of logisticians work full time and they sometimes work overtime to ensure that operations stay on schedule.
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of logisticians.
| Occupation | Job Duties | Entry-Level Education | Median Annual Pay, May 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cost Estimators |
Cost estimators collect and analyze data in order to estimate the time, money, materials, and labor required to make a product or provide a service. |
Bachelor’s degree | $65,250 | |
Industrial Engineering Technicians |
Industrial engineering technicians assist industrial engineers in creating systems that integrate workers, machines, materials, information, and energy to make a product or provide a service. |
Associate’s degree | $56,550 | |
|
|
Industrial Engineers |
Industrial engineers devise efficient systems that integrate workers, machines, materials, information, and energy to make a product or provide a service. |
Bachelor’s degree | $88,020 |
Industrial Production Managers |
Industrial production managers oversee the daily operations of manufacturing and related plants. |
Bachelor’s degree | $105,480 | |
Management Analysts |
Management analysts recommend ways to improve an organization’s efficiency. |
Bachelor’s degree | $85,260 | |
Operations Research Analysts |
Operations research analysts use advanced mathematical and analytical methods to help solve complex issues. |
Bachelor’s degree | $84,810 | |
Quality Control Inspectors |
Quality control inspectors examine products and materials for defects or deviations from specifications. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $39,140 | |
Purchasing Managers, Buyers, and Purchasing Agents |
Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations. Purchasing managers oversee the work of buyers and purchasing agents. |
Bachelor’s degree | $69,600 | |
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners |
Meeting, convention, and event planners arrange all aspects of events and professional gatherings. |
Bachelor’s degree | $50,600 |
For more information about logisticians, including certification, visit
Defense Acquisition University
International Society of Logistics
O*NET
Suggested citation:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Logisticians,
at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/logisticians.htm (visited ).
