How To Become A Terminal Manager: What It Is and Career Path

What is a terminal manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Curt Macysyn

A terminal manager is responsible for a warehouse's overall operation, including sales, administrative duties, net profit, and managing the property. They also handle merchandising, controlling inventory, terminal budgeting, managing the personnel, and scheduling and staffing, among other duties.

As a terminal manager, you must provide excellent customer service and oversee your workforce's hiring, training, and development (including the managers, technicians, and factory support staff needed to ensure a safe and secure working environment). Additionally, you must manage a facility within budget, execute a maintenance program, keep their area of work professional and clean, and communicate issues relevant to individual staff members or the team as a whole.

A bachelor's degree in engineering, logistics, or business will be required if you want to establish your career as a terminal manager.

The average base salary for a terminal manager in the United States is $69,549 per annum. Just in case you need a salary calculation tool, that works out to be approximately $33.44 an hour.

What general advice would you give to a Terminal Manager?

Curt Macysyn

Executive Director, NSTA

NSTA expects a quick recovery in the student transportation field, but like other sectors, we expect that procedures and protocols will have to adapt to a post-COVID19 environment. What that likely means is that more emphasis will be placed on the cleaning and sanitizing of vehicles as we move forward. Also, the industry has a heavy reliance on employee and driver training in order to maintain its stellar safety track record. With that, much of the training and professional development have transitioned to online platforms, and if that set-up proves consistently viable

ScoreTerminal ManagerUS Average

Salary

5.8

Avg. Salary $74,237

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

10.0

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.42%

Asian 6.10%

Black or African American 11.12%

Hispanic or Latino 18.34%

Unknown 4.30%

White 59.71%

Gender

female 12.56%

male 87.44%

Age - 45

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45

Stress Level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

7.5

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

2.3

Work Life balance is very poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a terminal manager

Explore terminal manager education requirements

Most common terminal manager degrees

Bachelor's

58.2 %

Associate

18.2 %

High School Diploma

13.1 %

Start to develop specific terminal manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	14.71%
DOT	12.69%
OSHA	5.21%
Payroll	4.26%
Facility Maintenance	4.21%

Complete relevant terminal manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New terminal managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a terminal manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real terminal manager resumes.

Research terminal manager duties and responsibilities

Manage all CDL drivers files, medical re-certifications, and random drug and alcohol testing.
Utilize company trucks and outside carriers to achieve proper and JIT deliveries of order goods.
Provide route profitability analysis as directed, manage transportation GPS process.
Manage all truckload and LTL warehouse operations including consolidation and distribution for several customers.

Prepare your terminal manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your terminal manager resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a terminal manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Terminal Manager Resume templates

Build a professional Terminal Manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Terminal Manager resume.

Apply for terminal manager jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a terminal manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do terminal managers rate their job?