Salary guide, May 2025
Warehouse Manager / Distribution Center Manager pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
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The median annual wage for Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers in the United States was $107,230 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $82,440 and $146,770.
Also searched as: Distribution Center Manager, Warehouse / Distribution Center Manager, DC Manager, Warehouse Manager. These titles share this page because BLS reports them under one occupation.
Broader occupation · SOC 11-3071 Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
Warehouse Manager / Distribution Center Manager is shown within the broader published occupation. BLS does not separate this plant-specific title, seniority, shift, process or credential. Compare the duties with the SOC definition before using the range.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $65,120 | $82,440 | $107,230 | $146,770 | $194,900 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $31.31 | $39.64 | $51.55 | $70.56 | $93.70 |
BLS estimated 221,180 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 11-3071 Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
How does pay compare in the target metros?
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $104,010 | $74,410 to $157,110 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $102,530 | $72,770 to $159,760 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $100,220 | $67,910 to $144,180 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $110,780 | $83,850 to $153,400 | 850 | 0.81 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $133,640 | $107,710 to $172,850 | 10,410 | 0.77 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $133,640 | $107,710 to $172,850 | 10,410 | 0.77 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $104,790 | $83,460 to $145,130 | 9,600 | 1.67 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $124,120 | $94,920 to $160,490 | 8,570 | 1.34 |
Rank every metro for Warehouse Manager / Distribution Center Manager
What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?
Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels. Nested NAICS rows overlap; they are not independent samples and must not be added together. Identical source rows repeated at different publication levels appear once.
- Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing (NAICS 334000)$137,720
- Transportation Equipment Manufacturing (NAICS 336000)$131,510
- Miscellaneous Manufacturing (NAICS 339000)$129,490
- Machinery Manufacturing (NAICS 333000)$126,790
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing (NAICS 324000)$125,580
- Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing (NAICS 312000)$122,160
- Chemical Manufacturing (NAICS 325000)$121,050
- Primary Metal Manufacturing (NAICS 331000)$119,420
- Paper Manufacturing (NAICS 322000)$118,740
- Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing (NAICS 335000)$115,790
- Food Manufacturing (NAICS 311000)$106,550
- Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing (NAICS 326000)$105,790
- Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (NAICS 332000)$103,430
- Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing (NAICS 327000)$98,670
- Textile Product Mills (NAICS 314000)$98,250
Bars compare up to 15 non-overlapping 3-digit manufacturing subsectors with exact annual medians. More detailed scopes remain in the table, identified by code and publication level.
| NAICS / scope | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 · sector | Manufacturing | 29,990 | $91,600 | $117,660 | $155,760 |
| 311000 · 3-digit | Food Manufacturing | 4,260 | $89,080 | $106,550 | $134,650 |
| 325000 · 3-digit | Chemical Manufacturing | 4,160 | $93,110 | $121,050 | $162,170 |
| 333000 · 3-digit | Machinery Manufacturing | 3,200 | $94,520 | $126,790 | $167,470 |
| 336000 · 3-digit | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 3,070 | $100,650 | $131,510 | $162,160 |
| 334000 · 3-digit | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 2,610 | $103,030 | $137,720 | $176,870 |
| 3330A1 · 4-digit | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 2,460 | $94,400 | $127,080 | $165,200 |
| 332000 · 3-digit | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 2,190 | $82,850 | $103,430 | $129,390 |
| 339000 · 3-digit | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 1,830 | $96,040 | $129,490 | $164,910 |
| 326000 · 3-digit | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 1,750 | $83,990 | $105,790 | $136,020 |
| 325400 · 4-digit | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 1,650 | $103,290 | $135,050 | $173,270 |
| 3250A1 · 4-digit | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 1,610 | $87,320 | $117,840 | $149,000 |
| 326100 · 4-digit | Plastics Product Manufacturing | 1,530 | $84,800 | $106,450 | $136,510 |
| 335000 · 3-digit | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 1,270 | $95,940 | $115,790 | $152,450 |
| 334500 · 4-digit | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 1,210 | $103,930 | $136,680 | $172,550 |
| 336400 · 4-digit | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 1,200 | $116,130 | $138,870 | $169,250 |
| 339100 · 4-digit | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 1,110 | $111,270 | $141,640 | $178,370 |
| 312000 · 3-digit | Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 1,100 | $87,490 | $122,160 | $158,270 |
| 312100 · 4-digit | Beverage Manufacturing | 1,070 | $88,050 | $123,800 | $158,560 |
| 3320A1 · 4-digit | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 1,060 | $85,810 | $111,420 | $142,230 |
| 311900 · 4-digit | Other Food Manufacturing | 1,000 | $91,830 | $113,840 | $141,980 |
| 336300 · 4-digit | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 980 | $93,190 | $118,630 | $145,620 |
| 3250A2 · 4-digit | Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 900 | $82,870 | $99,260 | $128,900 |
| 334400 · 4-digit | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 860 | $105,850 | $148,380 | $211,510 |
| 322000 · 3-digit | Paper Manufacturing | 770 | $95,440 | $118,740 | $150,670 |
| 327000 · 3-digit | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 740 | $75,700 | $98,670 | $126,220 |
| 339900 · 4-digit | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 720 | $82,890 | $103,130 | $130,780 |
| 3320A2 · 4-digit | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 690 | $88,700 | $100,400 | $122,480 |
| 331000 · 3-digit | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 660 | $95,730 | $119,420 | $155,170 |
| 311600 · 4-digit | Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 630 | $90,030 | $105,330 | $129,700 |
| 322200 · 4-digit | Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 610 | $93,300 | $115,500 | $149,480 |
| 311500 · 4-digit | Dairy Product Manufacturing | 570 | $84,490 | $103,180 | $132,090 |
| 324000 · 3-digit | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 570 | $95,200 | $125,580 | $154,830 |
| 324100 · 4-digit | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 570 | $95,200 | $125,580 | $154,830 |
| 311400 · 4-digit | Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | 560 | $87,420 | $107,890 | $134,590 |
| 311800 · 4-digit | Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | 560 | $91,940 | $103,970 | $124,950 |
| 335900 · 4-digit | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 460 | $98,500 | $127,570 | $170,940 |
| 321000 · 3-digit | Wood Product Manufacturing | 440 | $60,480 | $91,450 | $122,820 |
| 323000 · 3-digit | Printing and Related Support Activities | 430 | $71,360 | $96,710 | $119,790 |
| 323100 · 4-digit | Printing and Related Support Activities | 430 | $71,360 | $96,710 | $119,790 |
| 335300 · 4-digit | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 430 | $95,510 | $110,580 | $136,880 |
| 337000 · 3-digit | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 420 | $77,660 | $96,240 | $129,210 |
| 336100 · 4-digit | Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 380 | $109,690 | $147,200 | $176,080 |
| 332700 · 4-digit | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 360 | $75,260 | $94,650 | $110,510 |
| 333600 · 4-digit | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 360 | $121,380 | $160,620 | $212,630 |
| 3370A1 · 4-digit | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 350 | $80,300 | $96,470 | $128,090 |
| 311100 · 4-digit | Animal Food Manufacturing | 300 | $80,000 | $101,310 | $137,590 |
| 321900 · 4-digit | Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 300 | $48,480 | $80,430 | $98,400 |
| 311300 · 4-digit | Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | 280 | $94,480 | $130,960 | $160,250 |
| 311200 · 4-digit | Grain and Oilseed Milling | 270 | $90,420 | $109,850 | $133,390 |
| 334200 · 4-digit | Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 270 | $101,670 | $141,290 | $187,800 |
| 335200 · 4-digit | Household Appliance Manufacturing | 270 | $93,100 | $99,430 | $160,610 |
| 333300 · 4-digit | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 250 | $80,520 | $97,510 | $136,430 |
| 315000 · 3-digit | Apparel Manufacturing | 230 | $75,970 | $89,960 | $139,380 |
| 326200 · 4-digit | Rubber Product Manufacturing | 220 | $74,830 | $101,190 | $124,090 |
| 336200 · 4-digit | Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 220 | $84,130 | $102,770 | $137,620 |
| 331100 · 4-digit | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 210 | $97,930 | $134,790 | $188,870 |
| 332710 · 5-digit | Machine Shops | 210 | $68,430 | $105,650 | $118,750 |
| 334100 · 4-digit | Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 210 | $99,650 | $132,600 | $176,180 |
| 315200 · 4-digit | Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing | 190 | $76,860 | $93,200 | $140,780 |
| 322100 · 4-digit | Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 160 | $112,520 | $124,760 | $153,240 |
| 313000 · 3-digit | Textile Mills | 150 | $68,680 | $88,720 | $124,650 |
| 332720 · 5-digit | Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 150 | $78,940 | $89,650 | $100,750 |
| 331400 · 4-digit | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 140 | $93,220 | $112,200 | $134,550 |
| 336600 · 4-digit | Ship and Boat Building | 140 | $93,610 | $108,580 | $132,620 |
| 314000 · 3-digit | Textile Product Mills | 130 | $80,340 | $98,250 | $108,450 |
| 333500 · 4-digit | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 130 | $94,620 | $104,250 | $121,470 |
| 331200 · 4-digit | Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 120 | $84,990 | $104,010 | $144,710 |
| 335100 · 4-digit | Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing | 110 | $99,510 | $120,830 | $147,570 |
| 331300 · 4-digit | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 100 | $103,680 | $123,990 | $162,680 |
| 311700 · 4-digit | Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging | 90 | $86,250 | $96,490 | $118,950 |
| 313300 · 4-digit | Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills | 80 | $70,020 | $85,250 | $124,950 |
| 321100 · 4-digit | Sawmills and Wood Preservation | 80 | $89,560 | $116,360 | $142,350 |
| 331500 · 4-digit | Foundries | 80 | $94,920 | $112,770 | $135,520 |
| 332800 · 4-digit | Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 80 | $66,350 | $90,640 | $106,680 |
| 314100 · 4-digit | Textile Furnishings Mills | 70 | $80,820 | $101,550 | $121,490 |
| 336500 · 4-digit | Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing | 70 | $59,570 | $111,660 | $163,970 |
| 336900 · 4-digit | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 70 | $105,790 | $128,690 | $137,650 |
| 314900 · 4-digit | Other Textile Product Mills | 60 | $78,940 | $89,970 | $100,530 |
| 321200 · 4-digit | Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | 60 | $100,380 | $126,430 | $155,990 |
| 337900 · 4-digit | Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing | 60 | $74,560 | $78,850 | $137,240 |
| 313200 · 4-digit | Fabric Mills | 50 | $75,580 | $103,720 | $126,920 |
| 334300 · 4-digit | Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing | 50 | $62,150 | $97,050 | $118,770 |
| 312200 · 4-digit | Tobacco Manufacturing | 40 | $45,640 | $101,370 | $105,860 |
| 315900 · 4-digit | Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing | 40 | $59,860 | $83,120 | $95,990 |
| 339910 · 5-digit | Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing | 40 | $103,590 | $126,050 | $211,010 |
| 316000 · 3-digit | Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | 30 | $86,450 | $96,610 | $142,390 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Warehouse Manager / Distribution Center Manager, clarify the base pay before discussing call-outs, travel or extra shifts. OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. It includes base rate, guaranteed pay, commissions and production bonuses. It excludes overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits.
An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure. Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.
Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $78,360 | $102,010 | $136,050 |
| May 2025 | $82,440 | $107,230 | $146,770 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What should you know about labor, shifts and unions?
Warehouse labor often includes temporary agency staff, multiple shifts and sometimes represented workers. A manager must handle attendance, overtime and discipline fairly and within contract language where it applies. We ask how many shifts they have led, what turnover looked like and how they trained leads.
A candidate who knows how to promote from within and keep supervisors consistent generally runs a steadier operation than one who relies on agency churn.
What should you know about questions?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
What is the median pay for a Warehouse Manager / Distribution Center Manager?
The median annual wage for Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers in the United States was $107,230 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $82,440 and $146,770. This is the broader occupation BLS publishes, not a figure for this exact title.
What does the 10th percentile mean here?
10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $65,120. 90% earned less than $194,900.
Does this include overtime or bonuses?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
Is this the pay for a Warehouse Manager / Distribution Center Manager at a plant?
Warehouse Manager / Distribution Center Manager is shown within the broader published occupation. BLS does not separate this plant-specific title, seniority, shift, process or credential. Compare the duties with the SOC definition before using the range. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 221,180 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
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What does this data mean for your opening?
Warehouse and Distribution Center Managers are covered by SOC 11-3071, Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers. This broad grouping includes many roles beyond dedicated manufacturing warehouse management. Manufacturing Headhunters points out that the actual plant-level duties, such as WMS system proficiency, OSHA PIT compliance, and cold-chain management, are not separated from this broader BLS category.
Industry benchmarks show $160,620 for Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing, which is significantly above the $107,230 national median. The middle-band width is $64,330, spanning $82,440 at the P25 to $146,770 at the P75.
Regional data reveals median compensation of $127,500 in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim and $133,640 in New York-Newark-Jersey City. For Warehouse Manager / Distribution Center Manager in the United States, releases are separate survey estimates. The May 2025 median is $107,230; the May 2024 median is $102,010. Their arithmetic difference is $5,220. They are not the same workers' raises and do not establish a pay trend or its cause. For Warehouse Manager / Distribution Center Manager in the United States, OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Commissions and production bonuses are included; overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits are excluded. These broad SOC numbers provide a baseline but do not differentiate between a high-volume distribution center and a specialized production-linked plant warehouse.
When hiring, focus on the industry-specific benchmarks rather than the broader national SOC median. The broadness of SOC 11-3071 includes many lower-complexity roles, whereas manufacturing warehouse management often requires a higher level of process knowledge and ERP system integration. The location quotients provided, such as 1.37 in Los Angeles, indicate employment concentration but do not offer insight into local candidate supply. Candidates with advanced WMS experience, particularly in complex software environments, typically command compensation levels closer to the industry benchmarks than the national median.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
The national median of $107,230 represents the entire transportation and distribution management occupation. For Warehouse Manager / Distribution Center Manager in the United States, percentiles describe the wage distribution of the mapped occupation. The published middle interval is $82,440 to $146,770 annually.
Why is the national median lower than industry benchmarks?
The national median of $107,230 represents the entire transportation and distribution management occupation. For Warehouse Manager / Distribution Center Manager in the United States, percentiles describe the wage distribution of the mapped occupation. The published middle interval is $82,440 to $146,770 annually. They do not assign pay to plant size, seniority, credentials or job complexity. Assess duties and candidate requirements separately; these rows do not measure a premium for them.
What is the year-over-year median change?
For Warehouse Manager / Distribution Center Manager in the United States, releases are separate survey estimates. The May 2025 median is $107,230; the May 2024 median is $102,010. Their arithmetic difference is $5,220. They are not the same workers' raises and do not establish a pay trend or its cause.
What is the impact of the middle-band width?
The $64,330 middle-band width highlights the broad variance in pay for this occupation. This often aligns with the wide range of facility sizes and managerial responsibilities included in this broad SOC code.
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