Business and finance
Logistician
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.
Median pay
$82,320
Growth to 2035
+18%
much faster than average
Openings a year
26,600
Time to qualify*
Minimal
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Logistician
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Logistician: 75% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Maintain and develop positive business relationships with a customer's key personnel involved in, or directly relevant to, a logistics activity.
- Develop an understanding of customers' needs and take actions to ensure that such needs are met.
- Manage subcontractor activities, reviewing proposals, developing performance specifications, and serving as liaisons between subcontractors and organizations.
- Develop proposals that include documentation for estimates.
- Review logistics performance with customers against targets, benchmarks, and service agreements.
- Direct availability and allocation of materials, supplies, and finished products.
- Redesign the movement of goods to maximize value and minimize costs.
- Explain proposed solutions to customers, management, or other interested parties through written proposals and oral presentations.
Also called: Client Services Administrator · Logistician · Production Planner · Supply Management Specialist
Outlook and AI
Logisticians held 255,100 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 300,000 by 2035 (+18%, much faster than average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Demand change - share increases as the growth of e-commerce makes logistics more dynamic and complex.
Compare with
- Logistician vs. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Logistician vs. Project manager
- Logistician vs. Purchasing manager
- Logistician vs. Management analyst
- Logistician vs. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Logistician vs. Industrial production manager
- Logistician vs. Buyers and purchasing agents