tics, whose average salary of $99,890 was higher than
expected. (See Exhibit 4.) Similarly, Exhibit 5 shows that the
older the respondent, the higher the salary (until respondents hit age 65, when many might be in a semi-retired
state).
▪ But don’t wear out your welcome. While the survey does
seem to indicate that companies reward loyalty, that seems
to be true only to a certain point. Average salary rises
along with tenure at a company until about year 15, when
the average salary levels off and then drops a bit. (See
Exhibit 6.)
▪ Be male. This may sound glib, but the sobering fact
remains that men in the logistics field are still out-earning
women. The first DC VELOCITY salary survey back in 2006
noted that discrepancy, and things haven’t changed much in
the past six years. This year, females made up 10 percent of
the survey respondents, and their average salary ($76,572)
was significantly lower than the average salary of their male
counterparts ($109,787).
“I have to say that the supply chain/warehousing/logistics
world is a little behind the times,” says Rider. “I also think it
has something to do with the fact that women are still in
lower-level positions as supervisors and managers. It took
us a while as women to break into the industry, and we are
still working our way up.”
But the gap does not appear to be narrowing. In the 2007
survey, female managers on average earned 22 percent less
than males ($65,774 vs. $80,225). In 2012, female managers
on average earned 25 percent less than their male counter-
parts ($73,167 vs. $91,366). Furthermore, slicing the data
by age or years of logistics experience produced no change
in the results.
▪ Go back to school. While an advanced degree comes with
a high price tag these days, it also translates into a higher
average salary. Respondents with a master’s degree or higher reported an average salary of $141,287, compared with
$104,020 for those with a bachelor’s degree and $85,280 for
a high school diploma. Likewise, certifications for specialized skills are carrying much more weight than they used to,
says Rider.
One factor that does not seem to have much effect on
salary is region of the country. It’s hard to see any patterns
when you look at the last three years’ worth of data from
the survey. (See Exhibit 7.) However, salaries may be higher in areas that are considered logistics hubs, such as
Columbus, Ohio; Memphis, Tenn.; and Louisville, Ky.,
says Rider. She speculates that may be the reason why she
sees higher salaries than those reported in DC VELOCITY’S
survey.
EXHIBIT 4
Salary by years of logistics
experience
Years in logistics
0– 5
6–10
11–15
16–20
21–25
More than 25
Average salary
$99,890
$91,570
$94,126
$97,571
$116,511
$122,470
EXHIBIT 5
Salary by age
Age
18–25
26–35
36–45
46–55
56–60
61–65
Over 65
Average salary
$49,125
$91,288
$100,799
$107,741
$113,789
$139,791
$94,278
EXHIBIT 6
Salary by years at current company
Years
0– 5
6–10
11–15
16–20
21–25
More than 25
Average salary
$100,123
$108,308
$114,306
$114,243
$93,899
$104,949
IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS
While money is important, it was not what the majority of
readers mentioned when asked what they liked most about
their jobs. Instead, they said they enjoyed solving the ever-
changing challenges they confront on a daily basis. As one
respondent noted, “The job is the same, but it is different
every day.”
Also, many mentioned that they liked the people or teams
they work with and the interaction with different depart-
ments, customers, and suppliers. While it may sound trite,
this underlines an important point. Logistics isn’t just
