# Supply Chain Managers

> 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/supply-chain-managers
- SOC code: 11-3071.04
- Career family: Management
- Median annual pay: $107,230 (10th percentile $65,120, 90th percentile $194,900)
- Projected growth: Faster than average, +6.1%
- Openings a year: 18,300
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections
- Pay and outlook are for the broader BLS group "Transportation, storage, and distribution managers".

## Interest profile (code ECR)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 40 |
| Investigative (I) | 24 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 17 |
| Enterprising (E) | 87 |
| Conventional (C) | 71 |

## What you'd do

- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 86/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 85/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 85/100)
- Developing and Building Teams (importance 83/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 80/100)
- Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates (importance 79/100)
- Getting Information (importance 78/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 76/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 76/100)
- Coaching and Developing Others (importance 75/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Time Management, Complex Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Systems Evaluation

## Knowledge

Transportation, Administration and Management, English Language, Economics and Accounting, Customer and Personal Service, Production and Processing, Personnel and Human Resources, Mathematics, Computers and Electronics, Sales and Marketing

## Also called

Auto Parts Manager (Automotive Parts Manager), Demand Planning Manager, Global Supply Chain Director, Global Supply Chain Manager, Inventory Control Supervisor, Inventory Manager, Inventory Supervisor, Logistics Supervisor, Manufacturing Supply Chain Manager, Material Requirements Planning Manager

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Business Administration, Management and Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5202) (CIP 5202, 2,372 colleges)
- [Business/Commerce, General](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5201) (CIP 5201, 975 colleges)
- [Public Administration](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4404) (CIP 4404, 482 colleges)
- [Air Transportation](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4901) (CIP 4901, 253 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/carnegie-mellon-university-406) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $97,419 | $160,783 | $19,000 |
| [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor-main-campus-2956) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $96,806 | $144,654 | $19,500 |
| [University of California-Berkeley CAL](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-berkeley-cal-2881) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $94,811 | $144,599 | $10,656 |
| [University of Pennsylvania UPENN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pennsylvania-upenn-3009) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $108,743 | $136,806 | $19,250 |
| [Emory University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/emory-university-main-campus-916) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $87,830 | $136,731 | $15,000 |
| [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill-main-campus-2990) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $88,182 | $135,874 | $9,250 |
| [Baylor University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/baylor-university-194) | Business/Commerce, General | $75,807 | $124,434 | $12,000 |
| [Boston College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/boston-college-285) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $75,464 | $123,144 | $18,625 |

## Related careers

- [Logistics Analysts](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/logistics-analysts): $82,320 median pay
- [Logisticians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/logisticians): $82,320 median pay
- [Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/transportation-storage-and-distribution-managers): $107,230 median pay
- [Logistics Engineers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/logistics-engineers): $82,320 median pay
- [Purchasing Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/purchasing-managers): $148,080 median pay
- [Industrial Production Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/industrial-production-managers): $126,060 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.