What is a Distribution Center Manager?

The distribution center manager is in charge of everything related to the collection, storage, and transportation of goods from a distribution point to another. You have to ensure that collected goods are stored properly in a manner that the quality and safety of workers are not compromised. Furthermore, the location of goods should be easily accessible for future retrievals.

As a distribution center manager, you must respond rapidly to new orders and make sure that the right goods are delivered in terms of quality and quantity. Other job responsibilities include the review of incoming and outgoing shipments and monitoring the warehouse activities.

The minimum requirement to become a distribution center manager is a high school diploma. Although, a bachelor's degree is mostly preferred by employers. Proven work experience in a similar role can also be beneficial. You are required to possess good customer service and communication skills. The average annual salary of a distribution center manager is $72,211.

What Does a Distribution Center Manager Do

When it comes to the most important skills required to be a distribution center manager, we found that a lot of resumes listed 13.0% of distribution center managers included logistics, while 11.1% of resumes included customer service, and 5.4% of resumes included osha. Hard skills like these are helpful to have when it comes to performing essential job responsibilities.

Learn more about what a Distribution Center Manager does

How To Become a Distribution Center Manager

If you're interested in becoming a distribution center manager, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 66.5% of distribution center managers have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 9.3% of distribution center managers have master's degrees. Even though most distribution center managers have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Learn More About How To Become a Distribution Center Manager

Distribution Center Manager Job Description

A distribution center manager is a professional in charge of managing the oversight, planning, and operating of systems within a distribution center. Their duties also include processing orders, packaging of products, and providing necessary tools to achieve customer needs.

Learn more about Distribution Center Manager Job Description
Top Distribution Center Manager Jobs Near You

Distribution Center Manager Career Paths

As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, a distribution center manager can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as general manager, progress to a title such as vice president and then eventually end up with the title supply chain vice president.

Distribution Center Manager

Average Salary for a Distribution Center Manager

Distribution Center Managers in America make an average salary of $99,459 per year or $48 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $141,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $70,000 per year.
Average Distribution Center Manager Salary
$99,459 Yearly
$47.82 hourly
See More Salary Information

What Am I Worth?

salary-calculator

Roles and Types of Distribution Center Manager

The role of a distribution center manager includes a wide range of responsibilities. These responsibilities can vary based on an individual's specific job, company, or industry.Here are some general distribution center manager responsibilities:

  • Manage and direct employees in the operation of a distribution center to successfully achieve expense, safety, sanitation,
  • Communicate operational metrics and their importance to achieving the organization's goals, as well as keeping the team informed on overall business conditions. Develop, implement, maintain,
  • Leads the operations of the dc at the expected level of performance guarantees the safety of goods

There are several types of distribution center manager, including:

Manager

Role:

Responsible for overseeing the entire operation, the manager has a lot of responsibility on his/her or her shoulders. When we say the entire operation, we mean planning, directing, and leading the organization.

Managers should expect to work a little more than a normal 40-hour week. Since they're in charge, they're expected to be available. That's why managers end up typically working 50 hours a week, sometimes you may get away with only working 45 hours, though.

The education requirements for managers vary depending on who you work for. You might be required to have a bachelor's degree, but you might also get away with an associate degree. Now, there are some management positions that require a master's degree but, again, it really all depends on where you take your management career.

  • Average Salary: $58,651
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Operations Manager

Role:

As an operations manager, you have a lot of responsibilities. You may need to oversee several departments, coordinate operations in public or private organizations, but the big takeaway here is that you're in charge.

The job entails so much more than just being in charge, you'll be formulating policies, staying on top of daily operations, and figuring out how to use certain materials and resources. Before you stress out, you will probably have supervisors who will help oversee each section. Deep breaths.

Since you're essentially making sure everything consistently runs smoothly, you'll probably grow accustomed to working overtime hours. Then again, once you're running a well-oiled machine (or team), you can kiss that stress goodbye.

  • Average Salary: $76,894
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Warehouse Manager

Role:

This one is pretty self-explanatory. A Warehouse Manager oversees operations in a warehouse. He/She or she is responsible for organizing the reception, storage, and dispatch of goods stored in the warehouse. The warehouse manager is the one who keeps contact with transporters, suppliers, and customers, and they are the ones who make sure space is used efficiently, and the equipment is handled correctly.

They create schedules and assign tasks for the warehouse staff, and monitor the stock and inventories. They maintain records of the traffic of goods, and they train, motivate, and supervise the tram. Keeping appropriate working conditions and seeing to all necessary safety measures are also their responsibilities.

Managing a warehouse well is a complex task that requires great administrative and organizational skills and unwavering attention to detail. Warehouse managers usually work with warehouse management software, so IT skills are a must. But they have to deal with a team of people as well, so communication and leadership skills are also non-negotiable. However, the number-one priority should be the safety of the staff because a warehouse is no playground, and people can get seriously hurt. You get the idea: a warehouse manager who cracks under pressure will not hold the position for long.

  • Average Salary: $62,189
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree
View More

States With The Most Distribution Center Manager Jobs

Mouse over a state to see the number of active distribution center manager jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where distribution center managers earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

Average Salary: Job Openings:

Number Of Distribution Center Manager Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1California3,853$120,829
2Texas3,122$112,518
3Illinois2,265$89,275
4Florida2,252$94,994
5Pennsylvania2,154$110,696
6Ohio1,872$85,196
7New York1,754$105,841
8Georgia1,690$107,998
9Virginia1,564$95,065
10North Carolina1,485$104,920
11Michigan1,286$98,280
12Missouri1,225$93,880
13Minnesota1,169$80,562
14Maryland1,160$97,791
15Indiana1,157$94,649
16New Jersey1,068$106,590
17Arizona1,025$99,061
18Massachusetts997$108,048
19Tennessee942$86,172
20Kentucky868$92,286
21Kansas724$88,865
22Washington716$97,237
23Colorado706$86,539
24Alabama667$97,520
25South Carolina610$93,682
26Wisconsin592$96,978
27Nebraska550$82,263
28Oklahoma543$93,531
29Mississippi473$91,234
30Oregon463$106,963
31Connecticut415$107,980
32Nevada373$118,558
33Utah351$100,859
34Montana330$92,355
35New Mexico321$98,361
36Louisiana305$106,566
37Arkansas298$91,846
38Iowa274$100,565
39Idaho270$97,484
40Delaware177$93,764
41New Hampshire168$102,184
42Rhode Island128$102,812
43Alaska120$99,780
44Hawaii117$82,598
45Maine95$90,757
46West Virginia81$105,015
47North Dakota52$87,527
48Vermont48$98,609
49South Dakota37$86,587
50Wyoming26$76,332

Distribution Center Manager Education

Distribution Center Manager Majors

Business
47.2 %
Management
7.7 %
Supply Chain Management
6.9 %

Distribution Center Manager Degrees

Bachelors

66.5 %

Associate

14.7 %

Masters

9.3 %

Top Colleges for Distribution Center Managers

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. Maine Maritime Academy

Castine, ME • Private

In-State Tuition

$13,478

Enrollment

979

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

6. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

7. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

8. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

9. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

10. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

Top Skills For a Distribution Center Manager

Choose From 10+ Customizable Distribution Center Manager Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Distribution Center Manager templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Distribution Center Manager resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

Distribution Center Manager Resume
Distribution Center Manager Resume
Distribution Center Manager Resume
Distribution Center Manager Resume
Distribution Center Manager Resume
Distribution Center Manager Resume
Distribution Center Manager Resume
Distribution Center Manager Resume
Distribution Center Manager Resume
Distribution Center Manager Resume
Distribution Center Manager Resume
Distribution Center Manager Resume
Distribution Center Manager Resume
Distribution Center Manager Resume
Distribution Center Manager Resume
Distribution Center Manager Resume

Distribution Center Manager diversity

Distribution Center Manager Gender Distribution

Male
Male
88%
Female
Female
12%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among distribution center managers, 11.6% of them are women, while 88.4% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among distribution center managers is White, which makes up 59.3% of all distribution center managers.

  • The most common foreign language among distribution center managers is Spanish at 58.6%.

Online Courses For Distribution Center Manager That You May Like

Advertising Disclosure  

1. In the Trenches: Security Operations Center

coursera

Cyber-attacks, breaches, and incidents continue to grow. The sophistication and complexity of these attacks continue to evolve. More than ever organizations need to plan, prepare, and defend against a potential cyber incident. Security Operation Centers (SOCs) act as an organization's front-line defense against cyber incidents. SOC analyst accomplishes this by monitoring and responding to network and host anomalies, performing an in-depth analysis of suspicious events, and when necessary,...

2. Supply Chain Management A-Z: Operations & Logistics Basics

udemy
4.4
(1,868)

Supply Chain Management Basics: An MBA style course to boost your career as a business operations & logistics manager...

3. Complete Inventory Management in Microsoft Excel & TALLY ERP9

udemy
4.1
(335)

Inventory, StockControl, Inventory Control, Microsoft Excel inventory, Stock Calculation, Inventory Valuation, LIFO, FIFO, WACC...

Show More Online Courses For Distribution Center Manager
Job type you want
Full Time
Part Time
Internship
Temporary

Best States For a Distribution Center Manager

Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a distribution center manager. The best states for people in this position are California, Nevada, Texas, and Pennsylvania. Distribution center managers make the most in California with an average salary of $120,829. Whereas in Nevada and Texas, they would average $118,558 and $112,518, respectively. While distribution center managers would only make an average of $110,696 in Pennsylvania, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.

1. Nevada

Total Distribution Center Manager Jobs: 373
Highest 10% Earn:
$178,000
Location Quotient:
1.18

$118,558

Avg. Salary

View 373 Distribution Center Manager Jobs In NV

2. Pennsylvania

Total Distribution Center Manager Jobs: 2,154
Highest 10% Earn:
$160,000
Location Quotient:
1.22

$110,696

Avg. Salary

View 2,154 Distribution Center Manager Jobs In PA

3. Texas

Total Distribution Center Manager Jobs: 3,122
Highest 10% Earn:
$169,000
Location Quotient:
1.02

$112,518

Avg. Salary

View 3,122 Distribution Center Manager Jobs In TX
Full List Of Best States For Distribution Center Managers

How Do Distribution Center Managers Rate Their Jobs?

Working as a Distribution Center Manager? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall Rating*
Career Growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Top Distribution Center Manager Employers

Most Common Employers For Distribution Center Manager

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1Toys"R"Us$122,693$58.9913
2Walmart$116,866$56.1930
3The Coca-Cola Company$107,359$51.6152
4AmerisourceBergen$102,457$49.2612
5McKesson$101,266$48.6951
6Grainger$98,790$47.5020
7Kellogg$94,242$45.3127
8HD Supply$92,092$44.2722
9Clopay Building Products$83,605$40.1915
10Ashley HomeStore$82,632$39.7313
Show More

Distribution Center Manager Videos

A day in the Life of a Grainger Employee - Supply Chain

Distribution Center Manager Related Careers

Distribution Center Manager Related Jobs

What Similar Roles Do

Resume For Related Jobs

Updated April 6, 2023