Supply Chain Manager
Salary, job outlook, education and requirements
Direct or coordinate production, purchasing, warehousing, distribution, or financial forecasting services or activities to limit costs and improve accuracy, customer service, or safety. Examine existing procedures or opportunities for streamlining activities to meet product distribution needs. Direct the movement, storage, or processing of inventory.
Also called: Global Supply Chain Director · Material Requirements Planning Manager · Solution Design and Analysis Manager · Supply Chain Director · Supply Chain Manager
O*NET-SOC 11-3071.04 (Supply Chain Managers)
Supply Chain Manager salary
Wages for supply chain managers across all employers, 2025 data. The 10th percentile is typical entry-level pay; the 90th percentile reflects the most experienced and highest-paid workers.
National median hourly wage: $51.55.
Supply Chain Manager pay by state
Ten largest states by population, annual wages.
| State | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $71,260 | $123,780 | $208,420 |
| Texas | $63,380 | $100,700 | $177,340 |
| Florida | $54,490 | $101,570 | $173,950 |
| New York | $80,430 | $127,180 | $204,600 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,560 | $105,240 | $182,390 |
| Illinois | $68,310 | $120,250 | $207,570 |
| Ohio | $62,160 | $101,550 | $175,190 |
| Georgia | $74,920 | $123,330 | $207,890 |
| North Carolina | $66,090 | $106,100 | $191,650 |
| Michigan | $61,720 | $99,100 | $169,020 |
Supply Chain Manager job outlook
- Employment is projected to go from 228,100 jobs in 2025 to 242,100 in 2035 (6% change).
- About 18,300 openings are projected each year, including jobs that open up as workers retire or change occupations.
- CareerOneStop outlook rating: Bright (Rapid Growth).
How to become a supply chain manager
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- 5 years or more work experience
- On-the-job training
- No on-the-job training
Education level of current workers
- Less than high school diploma5.2%
- High school diploma or equivalent26.6%
- Some college, no degree25.3%
- Associate's degree9.8%
- Bachelor's degree24%
- Master's degree8.2%
- Doctoral or professional degree1%
Related training programs
- Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology, General
- Aviation/Airway Management and Operations
- Business Administration and Management, General
- Business/Commerce, General
- Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management
- Public Administration
- Transportation and Infrastructure Planning/Studies
- Transportation/Mobility Management
What does a supply chain manager do?
Common tasks
- Determine appropriate equipment and staffing levels to load, unload, move, or store materials.
- Manage activities related to strategic or tactical purchasing, material requirements planning, controlling inventory, warehousing, or receiving.
- Select transportation routes to maximize economy by combining shipments or consolidating warehousing and distribution.
- Define performance metrics for measurement, comparison, or evaluation of supply chain factors, such as product cost or quality.
- Develop procedures for coordination of supply chain management with other functional areas, such as sales, marketing, finance, production, or quality assurance.
- Implement new or improved supply chain processes to improve efficiency or performance.
- Analyze inventories to determine how to increase inventory turns, reduce waste, or optimize customer service.
- Confer with supply chain planners to forecast demand or create supply plans that ensure availability of materials or products.
- Negotiate prices and terms with suppliers, vendors, or freight forwarders.
- Analyze information about supplier performance or procurement program success.
Most important skills
- Time Management
- Managing your time and the time of other people.
- Speaking
- Talking to others.
- Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
- Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
- Monitoring
- Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
- Coordination
- Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
- Systems Evaluation
- Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
Supply Chain Manager certifications
8 of 26 certifications CareerOneStop maps to this occupation. Requirements vary by employer and state.
- National Registry of Environmental Professionals · Advanced
- SAP America, Inc. · Product/Equipment
- Association for Supply Chain Management · Core
- National Retail Federation Foundation · Core
- Next Level Purchasing Association · Core
- American Purchasing Society · Advanced
- Next Level Purchasing Association · Specialty
- SAP America, Inc. · Product/Equipment
See all 26certifications in CareerOneStop's Certification Finder
Supply Chain Manager jobs
Current federal openings from USAJOBS. For more logistics & supply jobs, including private-sector listings, see the Logistics & Supply jobs hub.
Job data from USAJOBS.gov. Careers.org is not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM.
Related careers
- Logistics Analysts
- Logistician
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
- Logistics Engineers
- Purchasing Manager
- Industrial Production Managers
- Industrial Engineers
- Contract Specialist
- General and Operations Manager
- Project Manager
More logistics & supply careers
This page includes information from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA), and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
Source: CareerOneStop occupation profile for Supply Chain Managers. Wages are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program; projections are national long-term projections.