US logistics costs reached $1.9 trillion last year, consuming 7.1% of GDP. This massive economic activity supports 4.2 million transportation and material moving jobs, but 45% of companies still lack a formal process to quantify their supply chain risk.
Key Takeaways
- The Gartner forecast for worldwide supply chain management software spending implies software spending of $37.1B in 2023 (Gartner press release figure)
- S&P Global Market Intelligence reported that 2022 global supply chain financing volumes reached $2.3 trillion (SCF market estimate)
- US logistics costs were $1.9 trillion in 2023, equal to 7.1% of GDP
- Ocean freight prices fell by 40% in 2023 versus 2022 according to UNCTAD’s Review of Maritime Transport data
- The UN Comtrade database shows global containerized trade using maritime transport dominates with over 80% of world trade by volume carried by sea (UNCTAD stat)
- Drewry estimates global port container throughput increased by 2.2% in 2023 to 818 million TEU (Drewry annual container port throughput forecast data)
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 2023 employment of transportation and material moving occupations at 4.2 million jobs
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the 2023 median pay for logisticians at $77,030 per year
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects logisticians employment to grow 3% from 2022 to 2032
- In IBM’s 2023 survey, 70% of organizations increased investments in cybersecurity due to recent incidents
- In Gartner’s 2024 survey, 65% of supply chain leaders are implementing AI/ML for planning and optimization
- GS1 reports 20% of supply chain organizations have already implemented RFID pilots or production deployments for tracking (GS1 RFID adoption survey figure)
- The 2024 Cybersecurity Breaches Survey found 17% of UK businesses reported ransomware attacks in the last 12 months
- The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) reports that 50% of organizations experienced ransomware-related impacts in the last 12 months (CISA joint alert survey; State of Cybersecurity 2024 survey figure)
- The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reports 2023 large truck-related crashes: 451,000 crashes (large truck crash count)
Supply chain jobs are growing as freight and logistics digitize, with higher AI and cybersecurity spending driving change.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size4 stats
01
The Gartner forecast for worldwide supply chain management software spending implies software spending of $37.1B in 2023 (Gartner press release figure)
02
S&P Global Market Intelligence reported that 2022 global supply chain financing volumes reached $2.3 trillion (SCF market estimate)
03
US logistics costs were $1.9 trillion in 2023, equal to 7.1% of GDP
04
34% of companies reported using a third-party logistics provider for at least one key logistics activity (e.g., warehousing, transportation, fulfillment)
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
In the Market Size landscape for the supply chain job industry, spending and activity at scale are already evident with Gartner projecting $37.1B of worldwide supply chain management software spending in 2023 and US logistics costs totaling $1.9T in 2023, while 34% of companies using third-party logistics and $2.3T in global supply chain financing volumes in 2022 underscore how large budgets are being allocated across the supply chain ecosystem.
02 · Category
Industry Trends3 stats
01
Ocean freight prices fell by 40% in 2023 versus 2022 according to UNCTAD’s Review of Maritime Transport data
02
The UN Comtrade database shows global containerized trade using maritime transport dominates with over 80% of world trade by volume carried by sea (UNCTAD stat)
03
Drewry estimates global port container throughput increased by 2.2% in 2023 to 818 million TEU (Drewry annual container port throughput forecast data)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
As industry trends, sharply lower ocean freight prices of 40% in 2023 alongside sea carrying over 80% of world trade by volume and port throughput rising 2.2% to 818 million TEU show a shipping network that is both expanding and becoming more cost-efficient.
03 · Category
Employment & Skills10 stats
01
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 2023 employment of transportation and material moving occupations at 4.2 million jobs
02
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the 2023 median pay for logisticians at $77,030per year
03
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects logisticians employment to grow 3% from 2022 to 2032
04
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 2023 median pay for transportation, storage and distribution managers at $104,560per year
05
Warehousing and storage is a major component: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows 2023 employment for “Warehousing and Storage” at 1,040,400 workers
06
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 2023 employment for “Transportation and Warehousing” at 7.8 million workers
07
2023 median pay for supply chain managers in the U.S. (Purchasing Managers, All Other / logisticians management cluster) is $86,200per year (BLS OEWS)
08
In 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projected 2022–2032 job growth of 5% for purchasing managers and 4% for transportation managers (varies by occupation)
09
In 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated 4.4 million Americans employed as truck drivers (heavy and tractor-trailer/truck driver category total)
10
In 2023, truck driver median pay was $48,310per year (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics)
Interpretation
Employment & Skills Interpretation
Employment and skills in supply chain roles look strong and improving, with logisticians projected to grow 3% from 2022 to 2032 alongside $77,030 median pay and a large 2023 workforce of 4.2 million in transportation and material moving occupations.
04 · Category
User Adoption3 stats
01
In IBM’s 2023 survey, 70% of organizations increased investments in cybersecurity due to recent incidents
02
In Gartner’s 2024 survey, 65% of supply chain leaders are implementing AI/ML for planning and optimization
03
GS1 reports 20% of supply chain organizations have already implemented RFID pilots or production deployments for tracking (GS1 RFID adoption survey figure)
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
User adoption is accelerating as reflected by 65% of supply chain leaders in Gartner’s 2024 survey already using AI and ML for planning and optimization and GS1 reporting 20% of organizations have moved RFID from pilots to production, alongside IBM’s 2023 finding that 70% increased cybersecurity investment after recent incidents.
More related reading
05 · Category
Risk & Compliance4 stats
01
The 2024 Cybersecurity Breaches Survey found 17% of UK businesses reported ransomware attacks in the last 12 months
02
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) reports that 50% of organizations experienced ransomware-related impacts in the last 12 months (CISA joint alert survey; State of Cybersecurity 2024 survey figure)
03
The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reports 2023 large truck-related crashes: 451,000 crashes (large truck crash count)
04
The 2023 U.S. CBP estimated container inspection rate for high-risk cargo categories at 20% (risk-based selection share)
Interpretation
Risk & Compliance Interpretation
Across Risk and Compliance, ransomware is a major and recurring supply chain threat as 17% of UK businesses and 50% of US organizations reported ransomware-related impacts in the past 12 months.
06 · Category
Workforce & Skills1 stats
01
51% of transportation and logistics workers report that digital tools are increasingly important for their jobs
Interpretation
Workforce & Skills Interpretation
With 51% of transportation and logistics workers saying digital tools are increasingly important, the workforce and skills trend is clear that employers will need to expand digital competence across the logistics job roles.
07 · Category
Risk & Resilience4 stats
01
55% of organizations experienced a third-party-related cyber incident in the past 12 months
02
45% of organizations reported they have no formal process to quantify supply chain risk exposure
03
68% of organizations use supplier scorecards that include risk and compliance criteria
04
19% of shippers reported losing customers or revenue due to delivery delays in the last 12 months
Interpretation
Risk & Resilience Interpretation
With 55% of organizations reporting a third-party cyber incident in the past year and 45% lacking any formal way to quantify supply chain risk exposure, risk and resilience efforts clearly still have a critical gap despite 68% using supplier scorecards that cover risk and compliance.
08 · Category
Operations & Metrics3 stats
01
43% of logistics companies had to change routes or schedules due to disruptions during the last year
02
38% of shipments experienced late delivery due to inland transportation constraints in 2023
03
15% reduction in forecast error is reported by companies using advanced analytics for planning
Interpretation
Operations & Metrics Interpretation
From an Operations & Metrics perspective, disruptions are visibly hitting performance with 43% of logistics firms changing routes or schedules and 38% of shipments running late in 2023, but advanced analytics planning is helping cut forecast error by 15%.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Nathan Caldwell. (2026, February 13). Supply Chain In The Job Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/supply-chain-in-the-job-industry-statistics
MLA
Nathan Caldwell. "Supply Chain In The Job Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/supply-chain-in-the-job-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Nathan Caldwell. 2026. "Supply Chain In The Job Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/supply-chain-in-the-job-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
32 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+13 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)