Transportation, Distribution & Logistics
This career area revolves around the distribution and movement of goods and products to the consumers. Avenues of transportation can be on cargo planes, trains, boats, etc. If you love the freedom of the open road and aren’t scared of tight corners, this could me your road to retirement. Careers span from Delivery Drivers to Mechanics to Pilots.
- This area employs around 19,533,300 people, about 12.7% of the entire workforce.
- By 2030, the projected number of jobs is set to increase by about 6.93%.
- The median wage is about $27.26 an hour or $56,702 annually.
There Are 7 Main Areas Or Pathways To Consider –
- Facility and Mobile Equipment Maintenance – Focuses on maintaining and restoring vehicles, equipment and facilities with routine maintenance, servicing and repair.
- Health, Safety and Environmental Management –
- Logistics Planning and Management Services –
- Sales and Service –
- Transportation Operations –
- Transportation Systems & Planning –
- Warehousing and Distribution Center Operations –
Transportation, Distribution & Logistics Industries
- Air Transportation – Comprised of organizations that move passengers and cargo using aircrafts like planes and helicopters.
- Couriers and Messengers – Comprised of organizations that offer local delivery of packages and messages.
- Gasoline Stations –
- Management of Companies and Enterprises –
- Pipeline Transportation – Comprised of organizations that transport oil, gas and other products by pipeline.
- Postal Service – Comprised of organizations that deliver letters, packages and other parcels.
- Rail Transportation – Comprised of organizations that move passengers, freight and cargo on railroads.
- Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation – Comprised of organizations that works to prevent equipment breaking down and repairing equipment and other products.
- Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation – Comprised of organizations that move passengers by bus, taxi, limousine, or other transit systems.
- Truck Transportation – Comprised of organizations that transport cargo and goods by truck and tractor-trailers over roads and highway systems.
- Warehousing and Storage – Comprised of organizations that operate storage facilities and warehouses.
- Water Transportation – Comprised of organizations that move passengers, freight and cargo over water on ships, boats and other vessels.
Careers In Transportation, Distribution & Logistics
| Job Title | Median Hourly Wage | Projected Growth By 2030 | Minimum Education Required | Average Years Of School & Training | Average Debt From School & Training |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Traffic Controllers | $61.27 | 16.3% | Associate’s Degree | 2 Years | -$15,000 |
| Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | $28.66 | 11.9% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | $33.19 | 5.3% | Postsecondary Nondegree Award | 1 – 2 Years | -$15,000 |
| Aircraft Service Attendants and Transportation Workers | $21.12 | -1.4% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Airfield Operations Specialists | $28.06 | 17.9% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $89.84 | 3.8% | Bachelor’s Degree | 4 – 5 Years | -$25,000 |
| Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants | $13.53 | 9.1% | No Formal Educational Credential | None | None |
| Automotive Body and Related Repairers | $23.76 | 0.3% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers | $19.07 | 7.8% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics | $22.48 | 11.1% | Postsecondary Nondegree Award | 1 – 2 Years | -$15,000 |
| Avionics Technicians | $33.26 | -1.4% | Associate’s Degree | 2 Years | -$15,000 |
| Bicycle Repairers | $16.12 | 5.0% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Bridge and Lock Tenders | $23.85 | 7.7% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists | $25.04 | 11.7% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity | $23.13 | 5.5% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels | $43.14 | 6.1% | Postsecondary Nondegree Award | 1 – 2 Years | -$15,000 |
| Cargo and Freight Agents | $22.68 | 4.4% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | $14.14 | 9.1% | No Formal Educational Credential | None | None |
| Commercial Pilots | $53.28 | 12.9% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Couriers and Messengers | $15.87 | 5.6% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Dispatchers | $21.57 | -7.5% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment | $33.87 | 9.4% | Postsecondary Nondegree Award | 1 – 2 Years | -$15,000 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers | $28.03 | 5.8% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Flight Attendants | $28.44 | 6.3% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators | $30.66 | 9.4% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $23.42 | 5.6% | Postsecondary Nondegree Award | 1 – 2 Years | -$15,000 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | $18.85 | 7.7% | No Formal Educational Credential | None | None |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $16.21 | 6.3% | No Formal Educational Credential | None | None |
| Light Truck Drivers | $19.74 | 0.8% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining | $26.97 | 4.3% | No Formal Educational Credential | None | None |
| Locomotive Engineers | $33.97 | 14.7% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Logisticians | $38.38 | 4.4% | Bachelor’s Degree | 4 – 5 Years | -$25,000 |
| Material Moving Workers | $18.16 | 9.1% | No Formal Educational Credential | None | None |
| Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | $27.40 | 9.6% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Motor Vehicle Operators | $19.33 | 2.6% | No Formal Educational Credential | None | None |
| Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians | $21.87 | 17.2% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Motorboat Operators | $25.72 | 5.4% | Postsecondary Nondegree Award | 1 – 2 Years | -$15,000 |
| Motorcycle Mechanics | $19.42 | 1.8% | Postsecondary Nondegree Award | 1 – 2 Years | -$15,000 |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | $14.07 | 4.4% | No Formal Educational Credential | None | None |
| Parking Attendants | $13.42 | 8.8% | No Formal Educational Credential | None | None |
| Passenger Attendants | $14.62 | 4.4% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Passenger Vehicle Drivers | $16.52 | 10.2% | No Formal Educational Credential | None | None |
| Pump Operators | $24.92 | 11.9% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Rail Car Repairers | $28.00 | 6.7% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Rail Transportation Workers | $26.28 | 7.8% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers | $26.54 | 8.2% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers | $26.87 | 2.8% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters | $31.46 | 14.2% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators | $27.61 | 0.8% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Recreational Vehicle Service Technicians | $21.05 | -3.6% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors | $20.49 | 9.1% | No Formal Educational Credential | None | None |
| Sailors and Marine Oilers | $26.77 | 17.5% | No Formal Educational Credential | None | None |
| Ship Engineers | $38.99 | 5.2% | Postsecondary Nondegree Award | 1 – 2 Years | -$15,000 |
| Signal and Track Switch Repairers | $36.52 | -6.7% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Subway and Streetcar Operators | $31.48 | 4.3% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders | $24.36 | 4.7% | No Formal Educational Credential | None | None |
| Tire Repairers and Changers | $15.28 | 21.3% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $50.53 | 10.7% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
| Wellhead Pumpers | $29.09 | 4.7% | High School Diploma or Equivalent | None | None |
Resources:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, https://www.bls.gov/oes/2020/may/oes_nat.htm.” Accessed December 13, 2021.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Projections and Worker Characteristics, www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm.” Accessed December 13, 2021.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh” Accessed December 13, 2021.
