Supply Chain Managers: Job Description
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.
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What Do Supply Chain Managers Take On?
The core tasks performed by supply chain managers span:
- 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.
- Implement new or improved supply chain processes to improve efficiency or performance.
- Develop procedures for coordination of supply chain management with other functional areas, such as sales, marketing, finance, production, or quality assurance.
- Confer with supply chain planners to forecast demand or create supply plans that ensure availability of materials or products.
- Analyze inventories to determine how to increase inventory turns, reduce waste, or optimize customer service.
Skills and Knowledge
Top supply chain managers draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Supply Chain Managers Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- 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
Job Outlook
There are about 374,282 supply chain managers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +12.7% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Supply Chain Managers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $138,103 |
| Hourly median | $66.40 |
| 10th percentile | $91,746 |
| 25th percentile | $114,925 |
| 75th percentile | $161,282 |
| 90th percentile | $184,460 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Delaware | $150,590 |
| District of Columbia | $144,190 |
| Washington | $131,620 |
| New Hampshire | $128,070 |
| Colorado | $123,750 |
| New Jersey | $123,390 |
| New York | $121,310 |
| Georgia | $111,640 |
| Alaska | $109,770 |
| Wyoming | $108,070 |
| Massachusetts | $107,200 |
| Maryland | $107,050 |
| Virginia | $107,050 |
| Hawaii | $106,960 |
| Illinois | $105,250 |
| California | $104,930 |
| Minnesota | $104,560 |
| Indiana | $104,450 |
| Vermont | $104,210 |
| Kansas | $103,730 |
| Pennsylvania | $103,530 |
| South Dakota | $103,530 |
| Connecticut | $103,500 |
| South Carolina | $102,650 |
| Alabama | $102,540 |
| Montana | $102,480 |
| North Carolina | $100,490 |
| Kentucky | $100,110 |
| Oregon | $100,020 |
| West Virginia | $99,830 |
| Michigan | $98,240 |
| Utah | $97,980 |
| Texas | $97,690 |
| Louisiana | $97,630 |
| Arkansas | $97,010 |
| North Dakota | $96,910 |
| New Mexico | $96,510 |
| Missouri | $96,410 |
| Nebraska | $96,310 |
| Ohio | $96,290 |
| Wisconsin | $95,860 |
| Maine | $95,860 |
| Iowa | $95,620 |
| Florida | $95,090 |
| Tennessee | $94,920 |
| Arizona | $94,470 |
| Rhode Island | $94,290 |
| Oklahoma | $94,270 |
| Nevada | $88,630 |
| Idaho | $83,680 |
| Guam | $81,450 |
| Puerto Rico | $78,940 |
| Mississippi | $77,390 |
| Virgin Islands | $47,840 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Pay for supply chain managers shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $115,793 | 12.4% | 0.95 |
| New England | $106,022 | 3.9% | 0.86 |
| Far Western US | $105,816 | 19.4% | 1.21 |
| Rocky Mountains | $104,934 | 3.1% | 0.86 |
| Great Lakes | $100,527 | 17.0% | 1.24 |
| Plains States | $99,875 | 5.6% | 0.83 |
| Southeast | $98,969 | 22.0% | 0.97 |
| Southwest | $97,225 | 16.1% | 1.40 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Supply Chain Managers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $164,180 | 1,570 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $138,900 | 2,150 |
| Boulder, CO | CO | $137,950 | 160 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | CO | $137,110 | 120 |
| Niles, MI | MI | $133,360 | 130 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $132,510 | 2,420 |
| Decatur, IL | IL | $132,320 | 120 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $130,940 | 4,070 |
Industry Breakdown
Most supply chain managers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | 68,620 | $99,610 |
| Wholesale Trade | 36,200 | $95,340 |
| Manufacturing | 27,300 | $114,180 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 15,270 | $148,130 |
| Retail Trade | 10,810 | $75,030 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 8,950 | $129,000 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 6,120 | $97,160 |
| Construction | 4,790 | $80,630 |
Supply Chain Managers work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Medical software: MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Project management software: Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Document management software: Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft SQL Server (hot technology)
- Process mapping and design software: Microsoft Visio (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Oracle PeopleSoft (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for supply chain managers reflects the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Contact With Others
How to Become Supply Chain Managers
Typical supply chain managers positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Industrial Production Managers (Primary-Long)
- Purchasing Managers (Primary-Short)
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (Primary-Short)
- Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products (Supplemental)
- Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products (Supplemental)
- Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products (Primary-Long)
- Logisticians (Primary-Short)
- Logistics Engineers (Primary-Short)
Where to Study
Students preparing for supply chain managers typically earn programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
4 programs across 2 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 11-3071.04 (Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers).
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