Quick answer: Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers in the Charleston area earn a median $86,060 per year, below the national median of $107,230, and the metro employs about 130 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Charleston metro | West Virginia | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $86,060 | $98,230 | $107,230 |
| 10th percentile | $47,090 | $56,970 | $65,120 |
| 25th percentile | $58,290 | $62,520 | $82,440 |
| 75th percentile | $111,000 | $120,010 | $146,770 |
| 90th percentile | $140,410 | $157,540 | $194,900 |
| Employment | 130 | 530 | 221,180 |
| Location quotient | 0.86 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Charleston, WV metropolitan statistical area.
The Charleston median of $86,060 is below the national median of $107,230, and below the West Virginia statewide median of $98,230 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.86 means transportation, storage, and distribution managers are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Transportation and distribution management concentrates around freight corridors, ports, rail hubs and distribution centers rather than following population.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. There is no professional license for this role. The regulatory weight sits on the carrier and the operation rather than the individual: FMCSA requirements, hours-of-service rules, drug and alcohol testing programs and the safety rating that follows the carrier. The degree is a hiring signal and a systems education rather than a government-issued credential.
See the West Virginia licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with the FMCSA and your state motor carrier authority.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
This page lists 2 schools within 46 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 2 of them carry a score.
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
The median annual wage for transportation, storage, and distribution managers in the Charleston, WV metro area is $86,060, below the national median of $107,230 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Charleston, WV metro area employs about 130 transportation, storage, and distribution managers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. There is no professional license for this role. The regulatory weight sits on the carrier and the operation rather than the individual: FMCSA requirements, hours-of-service rules, drug and alcohol testing programs and the safety rating that follows the carrier. The degree is a hiring signal and a systems education rather than a government-issued credential. Confirm current requirements with the FMCSA and your state motor carrier authority.
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies the FMCSA and your state motor carrier authority.
The Charleston metro median is $86,060 against a statewide median of $98,230 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
