Supply chain management industry focused media is highlighting a recent report focused on the ten jobs most likely to have provided a hefty pay raise in 2017, which happened to have included the role of Logisticians. However, the broader listing of occupations has further implications for those seeking salary advancement in areas of supply chain management. 
The report, 10 jobs most likely to provide a pay raise published on finder.com, analyzes recent data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The headline that Logisticians garnered a reported 21.7 percent increase in salary from 2016 to 2017 certainly warrants attention. From our Supply Chain Matters lens, it provides an indication of how the accelerated movement towards online B2B, B2C, and B2B to B2C customer fulfillment is having on the increased need for highly skilled logisticians who can effectively management constantly changing material movements. Keep in-mind that the current universe of logistics management requires far more utilization of advanced technology laden tools and software.
The notion that reviewing all the data has meaning as-well for supply chain management.
When the BLS separated the top-ten salary increase jobs by gender, the female focused listing had no listing of Logistician, while the male listing had this category ranked even higher, fifth out of ten. Two supply chain management focused occupations do appear: packaging and filling machine operators at number five, with an average 21 percent increase, wholesale and retail buyers, excluding farm products, at number ten, with an average 16 percent salary increase. There is quite a stark message when considering a male dominated role of Logistician having a median salary of nearly $64,000, and the number ten female category of wholesale and retail buyer at a median salary level of just over $46,000.
A further note of concern relates to equity of pay among gender. The top ten listing for female has Packaging and filling machine operators listed as number five, at a 2017 median salary level of $26,832. The complete listing of 318 jobs complied by the BLS has that same category listed at a 2017 median salary of $28,756, which implies a nearly 6.9 percent wage gap related to gender.
While the data would imply that many employers are at least attempting to mitigate a stark wage gap involving female focused occupations, we as a community have to do much better.
On a positive note, upon scanning the full listing of 318 jobs, we noted many other supply chain management focused jobs experiencing noteworthy compensation increases:
Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm equipment, reflecting a 10.7 percent median salary increase.
Supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, reflecting a 9 percent median salary increase.
Inspectors, sorters, testers and weighers, reflecting a 7.2 percent median salary increase.
Transportation, storage, and distribution managers, experiencing an average 4.8 percent median salary increase.
First-line supervisors of production and operating workers, experiencing an average 4.6 percent median salary increase.
We noted in our 2018 Predictions for Industry and Global Supply Chains that the reality of needed skills and talent will remain an ongoing challenge requiring more collaboration and added emphasis for employers. Re-doubling of efforts in employee retention, increased skills development for existing teams and coming to grips with the realities for higher compensation for the most in-demand skills remain.
This latest data provides some positive evidence of movement in median salary levels, but more effort is obviously required in eliminating gender gaps in compensation for similar job roles.
For our many readers working in the field of supply chain management, this data does provide added encouragement as to your value and a signpost to the most in-demand occupations.
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