Supply chain managers handle the strategies, challenges, and opportunities of manufacturing and distributing raw materials and finished goods in the global marketplace. This well-paying career has plenty of opportunities in the current economy.
Events like pandemics, global crises, and natural disasters disrupt supply chains.. More than ever, there’s a need for supply chain managers to strategize agile distribution, implement the latest technologies and software, and regionalize production to ensure that citizens get the food and other necessities needed to survive.
Here’s a closer look at how much supply chain managers typically make and some of the factors that can influence your salary.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for logisticians is $77,030 [1]. On the lower end, logisticians earned less than $45,160 while the higher end earned over $122,390 [1]. Because supply chain managers tend to have more responsibility in strategizing and leading teams in warehousing, inventory management, purchasing, transportation, and IT software, they may be on the higher end of that spectrum.
In fact, sites like Salary.com cite a median salary of $158,058 in the US, while Indeed lists an average salary of $91,596 [2,3].
Industries like government, technology, and retail companies tend to pay more in all jobs than wholesale or healthcare, so supply chain managers in these fields will naturally earn more.
The job growth rate for logisticians is high, at 28 percent between 2021 and 2031 [1]. Compared with 5.3 percent, the job outlook for all occupations, that is a promising figure for future supply chain managers [4].
Read more: How to Negotiate Your Salary: 10 Tips to Earn More
For such a broad job role, the salary for supply chain managers can really vary. To maximize your compensation, consider the following factors.
Attaining higher education typically yields higher pay. For supply chain managers, a bachelor’s degree at minimum is recommended. Zippia reports that 70 percent of supply chain managers have a bachelor’s degree, while 17 percent have a master’s degree, and 9 percent have an associate degree [5]. Only 2 percent have just a high school diploma [5].
With the following education, you can expect to earn this amount as a supply chain manager [6]:
Associate degree: $93,335
Bachelor’s degree: $107,654
Master’s degree: $119,242
Doctorate degree: $124,625
In general, more job experience equals higher pay. For supply chain managers looking to move up in supply chain management, your experience can quickly translate into earning more money as you rise through the ranks. This is a rough estimate based on common job titles [7]:
Supply Chain Manager: $72,000 - $118,000
Senior Supply Chain Manager: $105,000 - $172,000
Director of Supply Chain: $146,000 - $240,000
Vice President of Supply Chain: $197,000 - $344,000
The industry you’re working in, as well as the type of supply chain management you work on, can impact what you earn. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, logisticians in the following industries can make this much [1]:
Federal government: $88,710
Companies: $78,660
Manufacturing: $77,740
Professional and technical services: $76,840
Wholesale: $63,930
Further, if you work in a job related to supply chain manager, these are the average salaries you can expect to earn:
Manufacturing manager: $123,300 [8]
Transportation manager: $75,668 [9]
Procurement manager: $96,348 [10]
Supply chain analytics manager: $94,147 [11]
Demand planner: $74,264 [12]
Supply chain analyst: $79,637 [13]
Where you live, or where your company is located, can impact how much money you take home. While landing a job in cities like New York and San Francisco may offer a high salary, it comes with a higher cost of living than smaller cities.
This will give you an idea of what a supply chain manager can expect to earn in different cities in the United States [14]:
San Francisco, CA: $117,388
Los Angeles, CA: $111,378
Chicago, IL: $109,769
New York, NY: $109,091
Boston, MA: $109,066
Minneapolis, MN: $108,651
Austin, TX: $101,115
Miami, FL: $97,547
Denver, CO: $105,025
Boise, ID: $93,475
Washington, D.C.: $85,847
Your career as a supply chain manager can start today with a free trial. Enroll in Rutgers University’s Supply Chain Management specialization and become job-ready in six months or less.
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Supply Chain Management. Master the Fundamentals: Logistics, Operations, Planning, Sourcing, and Strategy
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Forecasting, Logistics, Supply Chain, Lean Six Sigma, Supply Chain Risk Management, Warehouse Management, Logistics Planning, Inventory, Six Sigma, Microsoft Excel, Planning, Demand Forecasting, Sourcing Best Practices, Strategic Sourcing, Supply Chain Sourcing, Supply Chain Strategy
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Logisticians, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/logisticians.htm.” Accessed December 19, 2022.
Salary.com. “Supply Chain Senior Manager Salary in the United States, https://www.salary.com/research/salary/benchmark/supply-chain-senior-manager-salary.” Accessed December 19, 2022.
Indeed. “Supply chain manager salary in United States, https://www.indeed.com/career/supply-chain-manager/salaries?from=top_sb.” Accessed December 19, 2022.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupations with the most job growth, https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupations-most-job-growth.htm.” Accessed December 19, 2022.
Zippia. “Supply Chain Manager Education Requirements, https://www.zippia.com/supply-chain-manager-jobs/education/.” Accessed December 19, 2022.
Zippia. “Supply Chain Manager Salary, https://www.zippia.com/supply-chain-manager-jobs/salary/.” Accessed December 19, 2022.
Glassdoor. “How to Become a Supply-Chain-Manager?, https://www.glassdoor.com/Career/how-to-become-supply-chain-manager_KO14,34.htm.” Accessed December 19, 2022.
Glassdoor. “How much does a Manufacturing Manager make?, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/manufacturing-manager-salary-SRCH_KO0,21.htm.” Accessed December 19, 2022.
Glassdoor. “How much does a Transportation Manager make?, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/transportation-manager-salary-SRCH_KO0,22.htm.” Accessed December 19, 2022.
Glassdoor. “How much does a Procurement Manager make?, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/procurement-manager-salary-SRCH_KO0,19.htm.” Accessed December 19, 2022.
Glassdoor. “How much does a Supply Chain Analytics Manager make?, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/supply-chain-analytics-manager-salary-SRCH_KO0,30.htm.” Accessed December 19, 2022.
Glassdoor. “How much does a Demand Planner make?, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/demand-planner-salary-SRCH_KO0,14.htm.” Accessed December 19, 2022.
Glassdoor. “How much does a Supply Chain Analyst make?, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/supply-chain-analyst-salary-SRCH_KO0,20.htm.” Accessed December 19, 2022.
Glassdoor. “How much does a Supply-Chain-Manager make?, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/us-supply-chain-manager-salary-SRCH_IL.0,2_IN1_KO3,23.htm.” Accessed December 19, 2022.
This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.