Essential data revealing workforce gaps, salary trends, and why travel management matters for logistics teams
Logistics and supply chain leaders planning for 2027 need to distinguish current workforce conditions from future employment projections. Accenture's 2026 model suggests that demand for core U.S. supply chain occupations could exceed labor supply by nearly 1.1 million roles by 2035. The statistics below draw on employment data, industry surveys, and forecasts published in 2025 and 2026. They are a 2027 planning outlook, not observed 2027 results.
Workforce demand also affects how finance, operations, and travel managers coordinate people across locations. Engine's modern travel management platform supports companywide travel for conferences, offsites, client meetings, and distributed logistics operations, with access to 1,000,000+ properties worldwide.
Key Takeaways
- Potential workforce gap: Accenture's 2026 model projects 19% growth in demand for core U.S. supply chain occupations against 3.2% net labor-supply growth through 2035.
- Documented hiring pressure: In Randstad's 2025 research, 76% of logistics organizations studied reported acute talent shortages beyond the holiday season.
- Surveyed professional compensation: The 2026 Logistics Management salary survey reported a $126,400 average among more than 160 respondents, not a national occupational mean.
- AI adoption: ActivTrak's 2025 study found that 72% of monitored logistics-sector computer users adopted AI tools in 2024.
- Driver retention costs: PDA research estimates a cost of about $13,000 per departing truck driver, with expenses varying by employer.
- Career satisfaction: In the 2026 Logistics Management survey, 93% of respondents said they were somewhat or very satisfied with their logistics careers.
Understanding the Evolving Logistics Industry in 2027
The size of the logistics workforce is best understood through occupation-specific and trucking-industry employment counts. The following 2025 measures describe different worker populations across transportation, warehousing, freight handling, and distribution, rather than a single interchangeable definition of logistics employment.
1. 2.94 million hand freight and material movers employed in 2025
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimated 2,940,300 jobs for hand laborers who move freight, stock, and other materials in 2025. This occupational count covers multiple industries, including warehouse and distribution work; it is not a census of workers employed solely by logistics companies.
2. 2.80 million stockers and order fillers employed in 2025
BLS estimated 2,804,300 jobs for stockers and order fillers in 2025 across the U.S. economy. These workers stock goods and fill orders in retail, warehousing, and other settings, highlighting the scale of inventory-handling labor.
3. 2.22 million heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver jobs in 2025
BLS estimated 2,221,200 U.S. heavy and tractor-trailer truck-driver jobs in 2025. This narrowly defined occupation is different from the broader professional-driver workforce reported by trucking industry associations.
4. 8.5 million trucking-related jobs support the industry
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) reported 8.5 million trucking-related jobs in 2025. This industry-related employment measure reaches beyond truck drivers to other workers supporting freight movement; it does not indicate how frequently employees require business-travel bookings.
The Critical Role of Supply Chain Management
Supply chain management encompasses procurement, warehousing, transportation, and inventory control. Understanding these functions clarifies why workforce statistics matter for business operations.
5. 255,100 logisticians employed in the United States
BLS reported 255,100 U.S. logisticians in 2025 and projected employment of about 300,000 by 2035. Logisticians analyze and coordinate organizations' supply chains, and this occupational category is narrower than the overall logistics workforce.
6. 3.45 million professional truck drivers in 2025
According to ATA's 2026 industry report, 3.45 million professional drivers worked in U.S. trucking in 2025. The association's industry-wide driver estimate should not be conflated with the BLS count for heavy and tractor-trailer drivers alone.
7. 10% of trucks were unseated on average in 2025
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) reported an average of 10% of trucks unseated in its 2026 analysis of 2025 carrier operations. This fleet-utilization measure is not proof that all unseated trucks lacked available drivers or would otherwise have generated revenue.
Addressing the Labor Shortage in Logistics and Supply Chain: 2027 Outlook
Accenture's 2026 model identifies a possible structural workforce mismatch, while trucking research also documents cyclical pressure on fleet capacity. The evidence below distinguishes current survey findings from modeled future labor gaps.
8. 76% of surveyed logistics organizations report acute shortages
In Randstad's November 2025 research, 76% of the logistics organizations studied reported acute labor shortages extending beyond the holiday season. This describes organizations in the research, not 76% of all logistics operations worldwide.
9. Nearly 1.1 million role gap modeled for 2035
A 2026 Accenture scenario model projects a potential gap of nearly 1.1 million roles by 2035 across core U.S. supply chain occupations. The conditional forecast compares modeled job demand growth of 1.34 million roles with net labor supply growth of roughly 221,000 workers; it is not an observed vacancy count.
10. 70% of U.S. Trade & Logistics employers report hiring difficulty
ManpowerGroup's 2026 U.S. Talent Shortage survey, fielded in October 2025, found that 70% of surveyed Trade & Logistics employers reported difficulty filling roles. The percentage measures employers reporting hiring difficulty, not the share of sector positions vacant.
11. 58% of surveyed leaders cite workforce and talent challenges
In the 2026 MHI Annual Industry Report, 58% of surveyed supply chain leaders cited talent acquisition and workforce challenges as a leading supply chain challenge. This is a leader survey about operational concerns, not a measured rate of unfilled positions.
12. 52% of supply chain leaders cite hiring and retention concerns
MHI's 2025 industry report, based on a survey of more than 700 supply chain leaders conducted in late 2024, found that 52% of respondents identified hiring and retaining workers as an internal challenge. The study describes its leadership sample, not a forecast of how long shortages will persist.
13. 74% of surveyed trade teams say resources lag workload
In an Altana and AAEI survey of 230 enterprise trade and customs leaders fielded in July and August 2026, 74% said resources, including staff, budget, or technology, had not kept pace with growing work demands. This is not equivalent to saying 74% of companies are understaffed.
For conferences, training sessions, and multi-site logistics projects, Engine Groups supports hotel room blocks of nine or more rooms with negotiated proposals and dedicated trip managers to coordinate group requirements.
14. 45% of surveyed leaders cite a general talent shortage
The 2025 MHI Annual Industry Report found that 45% of responding supply chain leaders cited a general talent shortage among internal operational challenges. This differs from a percentage of companies planning to recruit in a future year.
15. 61% of trade leaders say their work has become harder
In Altana and AAEI's 2026 enterprise trade survey, 61% of 230 respondents said their job had become somewhat or much harder since the start of 2025. The finding reflects self-reported workload complexity, not a measured shortfall in digital talent.
Supply Chain Management Jobs: In-Demand Roles and Future Growth
Employment projections reveal which roles will see the strongest demand and where opportunities exist for career advancement.
16. 18% employment growth projected for logisticians (2025-2035)
BLS projects 18% employment growth for U.S. logisticians from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3% across all U.S. occupations. This is a forecast for the specific logistician occupation, not all logistics jobs.
17. 26,600 average annual openings for logisticians projected
BLS forecasts approximately 26,600 logistician job openings per year on average from 2025 to 2035. Openings include replacement needs from workers changing occupations or leaving the labor force, as well as employment growth.
18. 44,900 net new logistician jobs projected by 2035
BLS forecasts a net increase of 44,900 U.S. logistician jobs from 2025 to 2035, raising employment from 255,100 to about 300,000. This projection should not be added to annual openings as if both measured separate new jobs.
19. 1.34 million additional supply chain roles modeled by 2035
Accenture's 2026 scenario estimates demand for 1.34 million additional positions, a 19% increase, across core U.S. supply chain occupations between 2026 and 2035. It is modeled demand, not a count of jobs already created or workers already hired.
20. 221,000 net additional supply chain workers projected by 2035
Accenture's 2026 model projects net labor supply growth of about 221,000 workers, or 3.2%, in core U.S. supply chain occupations through 2035. The figure reflects net growth, not the total number of people who will enter the sector.
Logistics Careers: Essential Skills and Opportunities
Career development in logistics increasingly requires both technical competencies and adaptability to technological change.
21. 72% AI adoption among monitored logistics workers in 2024
ActivTrak's May 2025 study of 2,190 monitored logistics-sector computer users found 72% AI-tool adoption in 2024, the highest rate among 23 industries studied. The sample does not establish an adoption rate for every logistics employee.
22. 60% of logistics roles expected to change through AI
Randstad's 2025 research estimates that 60% of logistics roles are expected to change through AI and automation. This forward-looking assessment concerns changes to job duties, not elimination of 60% of logistics positions.
23. Only 28% of surveyed logistics talent report training access
According to Randstad's 2025 research, 28% of logistics talent surveyed reported access to training and upskilling opportunities. Access to training is distinct from actual course completion and should not be generalized to all workers.
24. 91% of surveyed enterprise trade teams face pressure to do more with AI
The 2026 Altana and AAEI survey found that 91% of 230 enterprise trade and customs leaders reported pressure to expand their use of AI, whether from leadership or their own initiatives. This measures pressure for adoption, not actual AI proficiency or a commitment to spend on automation.
25. Up to 48% of routine supply chain tasks could be automated in some cases
Accenture's 2026 modeling found that, in some cases, up to 48% of routine, high-frequency supply chain tasks could be fully automated if multiple technologies work together. The percentage is a conditional task-level upper bound, not current automation penetration or a job-loss forecast.
26. 76% of 2026 salary-survey respondents report expanded job functions
In the 2026 Logistics Management salary survey, 76% of more than 160 respondents said the number of functions they perform had increased over the previous two to three years. The self-report does not measure changes across every logistics management position.
Salary and Compensation Trends for Supply Chain Professionals in 2027
Compensation measures below combine official U.S. occupational wage data with self-reported salaries from different survey samples. Occupational medians and survey means should not be treated as comparable national salary benchmarks or as forecasts of individual career earnings.
27. $82,320 median annual wage for U.S. logisticians
BLS reports a median annual wage of $82,320 for U.S. logisticians in May 2025. This occupation-specific median is separate from mean compensation among respondents to voluntary logistics salary surveys.
28. $126,400 average salary among 2026 survey respondents
The 2026 Logistics Management salary survey reported a $126,400 average among more than 160 participating logistics and supply chain professionals. This voluntary sample mean is not the national average for all logistics workers.
29. $215,650 average for 2026 surveyed VPs/general managers
VP and general manager respondents to the 2026 Logistics Management salary survey averaged $215,650. The figure describes a surveyed job-title group rather than compensation for all executive-level logistics workers.
30. $148,255 average for surveyed transportation directors/managers in 2026
The 2026 Logistics Management salary survey reported a $148,255 mean for its combined transportation director/manager respondent category. This is not an independently estimated national average for all transportation directors or managers.
31. $147,700 average for surveyed corporate/divisional managers in 2026
The 2026 Logistics Management salary survey reported $147,700 for respondents in its corporate/divisional management category. The category is limited to this survey sample and should not be presented as an occupation-wide U.S. compensation benchmark.
32. 41% of 2026 respondents were in salary bands at $150,000 or higher
In the 2026 Logistics Management salary survey, 32% of respondents reported $150,000-$249,999 and another 9% reported over $250,000, totaling 41% in those salary bands. This is not evidence that 41% of all U.S. logistics employees earn that amount.
33. $173,000 average salary for MBA holders in the 2026 survey
Respondents who held an MBA reported a $173,000 average salary in the 2026 Logistics Management survey. Differences between educational groups in a voluntary survey do not show the salary increase caused by earning an MBA.
34. $128,500 average salary for bachelor's degree holders in the 2026 survey
The 2026 Logistics Management salary survey reported a $128,500 average for respondents who held a bachelor's degree. This self-reported survey mean is not a national wage benchmark for graduates, and the survey does not establish that the degree itself caused higher earnings.
Finance teams can use Engine's travel reporting dashboards to review travel costs by department and project, from conferences and offsites to operational visits across logistics facilities.
Workforce Demographics and Diversity Trends
Selected logistics salary-survey samples and trucking-employer reports offer demographic snapshots. Their respondent distributions should not be presented as a census of the entire logistics workforce.
35. 81% male and 19% female in the 2026 salary-survey sample
The 2026 Logistics Management salary survey reported a respondent mix of 81% men and 19% women among more than 160 professionals. These figures describe that survey's participants, not the gender composition of the entire logistics workforce.
36. 7%-10.5% women among CDL drivers at surveyed employers by size
The 2026-27 Women In Trucking Index reported that women accounted for 10% of CDL drivers at surveyed firms with fewer than 500 employees, 10.5% at firms with 500 to 4,999 employees, and 7% at firms with more than 5,000 employees. These are employer-reported survey shares, not a national driver census.
37. 31% of executive positions held by women in surveyed organizations
The 2026-27 Women In Trucking Index found that women held approximately 31% of C-suite or executive roles among about 210 participating transportation organizations. The share should not be generalized to all logistics businesses.
38. 37.5% of supervisory roles were held by women at surveyed transportation firms
The 2026-27 Women In Trucking Index reported that women held 37.5% of supervisory leadership roles among participating transportation organizations. This is an employer-reported survey measure, not an estimate for the entire U.S. logistics workforce.
39. Gender pay differences in the 2025 salary-survey sample
In the 2025 Logistics Management salary survey, women respondents averaged $120,250 and men averaged $133,400 in reported pay. This unadjusted comparison involved potentially different jobs and experience levels and does not measure a population-wide gender pay gap or establish a trend from one survey wave to another.
Elevating Your Expertise: Education and Certifications
Educational pathways and professional development influence career trajectories in supply chain management.
40. 39% of 2026 salary-survey respondents held a bachelor's degree
In the 2026 Logistics Management salary survey, 39% of respondents reported holding a bachelor's degree. This describes survey participants, not the educational attainment of the U.S. supply chain workforce.
41. 18% of 2026 salary-survey respondents held an MBA
The 2026 Logistics Management salary survey found that 18% of its more than 160 respondents held an MBA. The proportion describes this voluntary survey group, not the share of all logistics or supply chain workers with graduate credentials.
42. 70% of 2026 respondents reported job-related training
According to a 2026 Supply Chain Management Review account of the Peerless Research Group salary study, 70% of respondents reported job-related training. This indicates training participation among those surveyed, not a national workforce completion rate.
Retention and Job Satisfaction Statistics
Turnover and satisfaction data inform workforce planning and reveal what keeps logistics professionals engaged.
43. 93% career satisfaction among 2026 salary-survey respondents
In the 2026 Logistics Management salary survey, 93% of respondents were very satisfied (45%) or somewhat satisfied (48%) with their logistics careers. The result applies to the survey group, not necessarily to all workers in the sector.
44. 49% of surveyed logistics talent reported leaving an earlier job over pay
In Randstad's 2025 research, 49% of logistics talent respondents said they had left a previous role because of inadequate wages. This is self-reported historical job departure, not a measured current-year logistics turnover rate.
45. 30% of surveyed logistics talent would leave over limited advancement
In Randstad's 2025 research, 30% of logistics talent surveyed said they would leave their present role because of insufficient career advancement opportunities. This measures stated willingness, not actual departures.
46. 58.1% of surveyed truck drivers were seeking another driving job
A spring 2026 truck-driver survey found that 58.1% of respondents were looking for another trucking job. This measures job-search intentions, not actual annual driver turnover.
47. About $13,000 estimated cost of losing a truck driver
As reported by Transport Topics in June 2026, PDA research has estimated a loss of about $13,000 per departing truck driver. The public reporting does not provide a universal costing model, so the estimate should not be treated as the exact expense of every departure.
48. 81% of 2026 respondents would recommend a logistics career
In the 2026 Logistics Management salary survey, 81% of respondents said they would recommend a career in logistics to friends or family. This captures the stated views of survey participants, not the willingness of all U.S. logistics employees to recommend the field or an observed employee-retention rate.
Optimizing Travel for Logistics & Supply Chain Workforces with Engine
Travel managers and finance teams need a consistent process for conferences, offsites, sales visits, and employee training as well as site visits, field assignments, and crew lodging. The two workforce measures below concern monitored computer-user workload, not the frequency of business travel. Travel coordination is a separate operational process that can be managed consistently across teams.
49. 20% of monitored logistics workers were overutilized
In ActivTrak's 2025 analysis of monitored computer users, 20% of logistics-sector workers were classified as overutilized, the highest share among industries studied. ActivTrak defines overutilization as exceeding an employer-set daily productive-hours goal by more than 30%; this is not a measurement of all field workers or travelers.
50. 15% of monitored logistics workers were at risk of burnout
The same 2025 ActivTrak study found 15% of its monitored logistics employees met its defined burnout-risk threshold. ActivTrak defined the burnout-risk indicator as spending more than 75% of tracked time annually in an overutilized state. This computer-activity measure is not a clinical diagnosis and does not establish that travel, hotel booking, or lodging policy caused the workload patterns.
Engine's modern travel management platform brings booking, spend visibility, and company controls together for business travel across departments and locations:
- Broad lodging selection: Search 1,000,000+ properties worldwide for conferences, customer visits, training, distribution centers, and temporary assignments, subject to availability.
- DirectBill: For approved companies, Engine extends a line of credit; Engine pays eligible hotels, and the customer receives one consolidated invoice after stays. This supports centralized reconciliation and project-level cost tracking.
- Travel policy enforcement: Administrators can set lodging, flight, and rental-car booking rules, with options to block out-of-policy purchases, require a reason, or route exceptions for approval.
- Engine Groups: Dedicated group sourcing helps organize negotiated hotel room blocks of nine or more rooms for events, project teams, and other group travel.
- FlexPro: An optional paid subscription that permits cancellation of eligible individual hotel bookings until noon on the check-in day, including eligible nonrefundable rates. The default refund is a one-year travel credit. Eligibility and booking terms apply.
Engine's booking platform and Engine Groups service are free to use: No platform fees, no membership fees, no agent-assist fees, no contracts, no minimum spend. The platform policies are detailed in the Engine FAQs, with room-block services described under Engine Groups. Flex is a paid per-booking add-on, while FlexPro is a paid subscription. Group room-block changes follow the Group Booking Agreement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is driving the logistics workforce shortage in 2027?
The 2027 outlook reflects both projected labor demand and reported hiring challenges. Accenture's 2026 model projects 19% demand growth for core U.S. supply chain occupations through 2035, compared with 3.2% net labor-supply growth. In separate research, Randstad's 2025 survey found acute shortages at 76% of the logistics organizations studied, while the 2026 MHI report found that 58% of leaders cited talent acquisition and workforce challenges. These measures are not observed 2027 vacancy rates.
How much do logistics and supply chain professionals earn?
Compensation depends on the job and the population measured. BLS data show an $82,320 median annual wage for U.S. logisticians in May 2025. Among respondents to a separate 2026 salary survey, the mean was $126,400; surveyed VPs and general managers averaged $215,650, transportation directors and managers averaged $148,255, and MBA holders averaged $173,000. These survey means are not national occupational averages.
What certifications improve supply chain career prospects?
Professional certifications and role-specific training can strengthen supply chain skills, but the surveys do not identify a credential that causes a specific pay increase. The 2026 Peerless Research Group study found that 31% of respondents had completed a professional certification and 70% reported job-related training. In the 2026 Logistics Management survey, MBA holders averaged $173,000, a survey association rather than a measured causal return.
How is technology changing logistics workforce requirements?
AI is changing some tasks and skill requirements. ActivTrak's 2025 analysis found 72% AI-tool adoption in 2024 among 2,190 monitored logistics-sector computer users, the highest share among 23 industries studied. In separate Randstad research, 60% of logistics roles were expected to change through AI and automation, while only 28% of surveyed talent reported training access. The two samples are different, and role transformation is not equivalent to job elimination.
What factors affect truck-driver retention?
Compensation, home time, communication, and working conditions are among the factors discussed in Transport Topics. A spring 2026 driver survey found that 58.1% of respondents were seeking another driving job. This measures job-search intentions, not observed turnover. PDA research estimates about $13,000 as a possible cost per departure. Separately, ATRI's 2026 analysis reported an average 10% of trucks unseated in 2025; it did not attribute every unseated truck to driver scarcity.
How can logistics companies improve travel management for distributed teams?
Business travel programs benefit from centralized property search, invoicing, policy controls, and booking flexibility across company travel. Engine combines hotel inventory, DirectBill, policy enforcement, and the paid FlexPro subscription for eligible individual hotel cancellations. Its Engine Groups service supports room blocks of nine or more rooms, including trips near distribution centers, training venues, and project sites. These tools help travel and finance teams manage bookings and expenses across locations, while the workforce statistics above describe industry conditions.
