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Job outlook for distribution center managers in the United States
Distribution center manager job and salary trends over time
Distribution center manager jobs over time
Distribution center manager job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 12,999 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 11,882 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 11,867 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 11,217 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 10,666 | 0.00% |
Average distribution center manager salary over time
Distribution center manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $99,459 | $47.82 | +1.9% |
| 2025 | $97,571 | $46.91 | --0.2% |
| 2024 | $97,746 | $46.99 | +2.5% |
| 2023 | $95,404 | $45.87 | +3.7% |
| 2022 | $92,030 | $44.25 | +3.0% |
Distribution center manager jobs by state
Most common states for distribution center managers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 230 | 33% |
| 2 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 330 | 31% |
| 3 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 550 | 29% |
| 4 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 724 | 25% |
| 5 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,169 | 21% |
| 6 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,225 | 20% |
| 7 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,160 | 19% |
| 8 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 868 | 19% |
| 9 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 2,265 | 18% |
| 10 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,564 | 18% |
| 11 | Delaware | 961,939 | 177 | 18% |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 2,154 | 17% |
| 13 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,157 | 17% |
| 14 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 1,872 | 16% |
| 15 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,690 | 16% |
| 16 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 473 | 16% |
| 17 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 270 | 16% |
| 18 | Alaska | 739,795 | 120 | 16% |
| 19 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 997 | 15% |
| 20 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 321 | 15% |
Most common cities for distribution center managers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Woodland | 4 | 7% | $130,414 |
| 2 | Mililani Town | 2 | 7% | $82,954 |
| 3 | Cottage Grove | 2 | 6% | $80,687 |
| 4 | DeKalb | 2 | 5% | $88,972 |
| 5 | Rialto | 4 | 4% | $117,116 |
| 6 | Albany | 2 | 4% | $108,542 |
| 7 | Atlanta | 3 | 1% | $107,585 |
| 8 | Fontana | 3 | 1% | $117,108 |
| 9 | Fremont | 2 | 1% | $129,326 |
| 10 | Indianapolis | 4 | 0% | $94,732 |
| 11 | Denver | 3 | 0% | $85,834 |
| 12 | Phoenix | 3 | 0% | $99,287 |
| 13 | Baltimore | 2 | 0% | $97,978 |
Distribution Center Manager job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of distribution center manager experts
Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College - City University of New York
Farmingdale State College
Appalachian State University
SUNY Potsdam
University of Cincinnati
Sonoma State University
Orfalea College of Business
Dr. Mary Kern Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorZicklin School of Business at Baruch College - City University of New York
Narendra P. Loomba Department of Management
What technical skills for a Distribution Center Manager stand out to employers?
Dr. Mary Kern Ph.D.: - Clearly, the ability to use different forms of communication technology has become key, and as these forms evolve rapidly, employers are look for an ability to adapt, adopt, and teach them to their colleagues.
- Evidence-based management and decision-making are playing a much larger role in organizations, and thus the ability to work with quantitative data to understand situations and to help make decisions is crucial.
Xu Zhang Ph.D.
ChairFarmingdale State College
Department of Economics
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Distribution Center Manager job market given the pandemic?
Xu Zhang Ph.D.: There are a few trends in the current job maket.
- Slow recovery. Based on the December job market reports released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job market slowly recovered since April, but about 44% of the prepandemic jobs have not been gained back. Between March and April, about 22.16 million jobs were lost. The U.S. labor market started to revive in May, and since then until December the market experienced 23.32 million job gains, roughly 56% of pre-pandemic level. The unemployment rate decreased gradually from April (14.8%) to December (6.7%), but still almost twice its pre-pandemic level in February (3.5%). Additionally, although the number of unemployed persons dropped from 23.11million in April to 10.74 million in December 2020, there is still a huge gap compared to 5.72 million in February.
- Uneven impacts by industries. While overall economy was hard hit by the pandemic, the job losses disproportionally impacted industry sectors. Service industries such as educational service, elective healthcare, arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services, have been hurt the most due to social distancing. Other job losses in retail service sector were related to a boom on online shopping. In addition, teenagers experienced record high unemployment rate which is associated with lack of experiences and working in hard-hit service industries.
- More employers embracing remote work. The perception of remote work has totally changed during the pandemic. After experiencing sudden changes to remote work and managing the obstacles working at home, more and more workers and employers embrace remote work, which would expand the layouts of job hunting and talent search to larger geographic areas.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Distribution Center Manager job market given the pandemic?
Lubna Nafees Ph.D.: The pandemic has escalated the rate at which life was changing. For instance, everyone started shopping online. Businesses were compelled to focus on mobile and e-commerce. Many small businesses, specially salons, restaurants etc had to shut shop as people stayed home. A significant number of people lost their jobs, mostly non-technical, seasonal jobs like the frontline sales employees. On the other hand, high-skill technical jobs grew. Digital marketing and strategy specialists, Data analysts, Digital transformation specialists, AI and machine learning specialists, Business development specialists were/are in demand and these jobs will only grow in the next five years. The skill sets required to work in the new human-machine workplace have led to obsolescence of the older skill sets. And that trend will only grow in the coming years.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Distribution Center Manager job market given the pandemic?
Karen Kus: The pandemic has undoubtedly disturbed the job market with an increase of furloughs, hiring freezes, and unemployment; thus, increasing employment competition amongst candidates. Though, do not let this fool you into thinking there are no opportunities out there. Employers are still reaching out to career centers, seeking ways to recruit candidates. Many job seekers today are delaying their search based on their assumptive belief that no jobs are available. Candidates need to be flexible and know that their preferred scenario may not be available at this time, but something like a remote position might be. Now that remote opportunities are becoming increasingly available, it gives job seekers more wiggle room to spread their wings and not limit themselves to one geographic location. Depending on the position you are looking for, it may be more challenging to obtain a position in a certain area than before. Candidates that are struggling to find opportunities may need to put extra effort in their application materials or may have to gain more relatable skills in the meantime. Admittedly, the pandemic has made it harder for individuals to gain experience. Employers are less willing to take on interns, due to the remote oversite that they may not have the capacity for. There may be remote positions available, though individuals often find they are not receiving the same mentorship as they would have gained in an in-person internship, due to the limited direct oversight and chances to build relationships.
What skills stand out on Distribution Center Manager resumes?
Karen Kus: Employers hiring candidates with a history degree are seeking transferable skills that can be applied in various roles and settings. These skills include writing, communication, research, organization, computer-based skills, and problem-solving. The best thing a candidate can do to increase marketability is to elaborate on how they obtained or utilized those skills, rather than simply listing them. Employers need to have an understanding of how you made use of your skill and what results came from your actions. Make these skills shine on your resume by giving them substance.
Christine Tonnis
Assistant Professor, Educator, Electrical Engineering Co-op Adviser, Electrical Engineering Technology Co-op AdviserUniversity of Cincinnati
Division of Experience Based Learning & Career Education
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Distribution Center Manager job market given the pandemic?
Christine Tonnis: At the University of Cincinnati all engineering students complete five semesters of full-time experiential learning, also known as 'co-op.' As the pandemic intensified 'remote work' became the default situation for many engineers, even co-ops. While experienced professionals can often manage remote work quite well, even the most seasoned, self-disciplined professional can encounter the negative aspects of working remotely; separation of home and work, self-motivation, lack of community, and often less physical activity that working in an office demands but the home office does not. We do not yet know the ramifications this has had on co-ops/interns, and young professionals. The next trend will be aiming to find the right balance between remote work and in-office work to make sure that all will have the appropriate support for their professional level and circumstances.
Craig Nathanson Ph.D.
Adjunct LecturerSonoma State University
School of Business & Economics
What type of skills will young Distribution Center Managers need?
Craig Nathanson Ph.D.: I see the essential human skills gaining importance to build a new post-covid work life. These include creativity, leading and working in teams, writing, speaking, being self-aware, and lowering bias and networking; career branding as critical areas for graduates to focus on now.
Eric Olsen
Professor, Industrial Technology and PackagingOrfalea College of Business
Industrial Technology & Packaging
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Distribution Center Managers in the next 3-5 years?
Eric Olsen: We are doubling down on what we call "digital fabrication." Most manufacturing technologies we deal with now have a growing digital component that our students need to understand and be competent in. Of course, that means current hot exotics like additive manufacturing, but our students need to look at any process and realize there is probably a digitally enhanced path forward.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Distribution Center Managers?
Eric Olsen: Students graduating today are going to start with virtual as the norm. I hope that they recognize and understand the good bits and carry those forward. I like the "build back better" paradigm. Our graduates can make that happen. It is exciting.