Logistician: Job Profile & Salary

Overview

Being a logistician is a hard job to explain, partly because it encompasses behind-the-scenes work that most people take for granted. How does one get all of the raw parts a factory in Michigan needs from a supplier in China? How does the military move thousands of people and supplies from one part of the world to another? How do mega-online retailers ship products so quickly? Logisticians are charged with answering those questions, and doing it so smoothly that few people realize just how difficult it is. Logisticians oversee shipping and transportation, distribution to wholesalers or retailers, warehousing, and the just-in-time delivery that helps minimize costs and maximize productivity. Many of these jobs are in manufacturing or retail businesses, but logisticians are needed in virtually every field, including energy, communications, finance, information technology, and government. At top firms, the job involves way more than just making the trains run on time: One key advantage that has made Wal-Mart the world's biggest retailer, for instance, is a superb logistical system that continually shaves costs and helps the company offer its famously low prices.

While logistics is a relatively narrow field, job growth is likely to be higher than average as supply and distribution systems grow increasingly complex. The Labor Department estimates that employment should increase by 25.5 percent between 2010 and 2020. That means an addition of 27,800 jobs for a total of 136,700 in the field by 2020.

Salary

Logistician jobs pay better than average; median annual earnings in 2010 were $70,800, with the lowest-paid 10 percent earning less than $43,530 and the highest paid 10 percent earning more than $108,080. The top-paying metropolitan areas for this profession are in Bellingham, Wash., Edison-New Brunswick, N.J., and Santa Rosa-Petaluma, Calif.

Training

To build a logistician career, you'll need to start with a bachelor's degree in a field such as business, supply-chain management, process engineering, or industrial engineering. As logisticians rise into the management ranks, many get an M.B.A. or certification in various specialties. On-the-job experience counts for a lot, too, and logisticians should stay current on evolving technology like RFID tracking systems or new inventory-control software. Many logisticians also have a military background, since moving material under adverse conditions—a military specialty—is excellent training for the challenges of commerce.

Reviews and Advice

According to Sarah James, executive director of SOLE - The International Society of Logistics, the current state of the global economies and need to reduce both public and private operating costs has created a strong demand for logisticians who can work across an entire organization, and she expects their importance to grow even more. "Since logistics impacts every element of an organization at all levels, the logistician who can integrate all enterprise activity may well become the next 'must have' in the C-suite," she says. That means aspiring logisticians might want to consider additional certifications and management or leadership training as their career progresses. As logisticians gain experience, they can move into middle and senior management positions, especially those who find new ways to cut costs and improve efficiency. Some logisticians parlay their experience into a job with a consulting firm, or even start their own advisory or outsourcing firm.

» Real Advice From Real Logisticians