Supply Chain Manager Salary: Your 2024 Guide

Supply chains are the complex logistics systems that enable the manufacturing and distribution of finished products, and can be easily disrupted by pandemics, natural disasters, and other global crises. Supply chain managers to come up with the right strategies, and use the latest technology to make those processes and systems more lean and efficient. A career in supply chain management can be well-paid and fulfilling.

Discover how much supply chain managers typically make and some of the factors that can influence your salary.

How much do supply chain managers make?

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for logisticians is $79,400 [1]. On the lower end, logisticians earned less than $47,990, while the higher end earned over $128,550 [2]. 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 $165,932 in the US, while Indeed lists an average salary of $93,524 [3, 4].

Industries like government, technology, and retail companies tend to pay more in all jobs than wholesale or health care, so supply chain managers in these fields will naturally earn more.

The job growth rate for logisticians is high, at 19 percent, between 2023 and 2033 [1]. Compared to the job outlook for all occupations, which is at 4.0 percent, that is a promising figure for aspiring supply chain managers [5]. 

Read more: How to Negotiate Your Salary: 10 Tips to Earn More

What does a supply chain manager do?

Supply chain managers oversee the procurement process for an organization by working with suppliers. This may involve the purchase of raw materials, components, or finished products. Additionally, a supply chain manager can work on the other side by analyzing the logistics in which consumers receive products by managing warehouses and shipments. 

Factors that impact supply chain management salary

For such a broad job role, the salary for supply chain managers can vary. To maximize your compensation, consider the following factors.

Education

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 [6]. Only 2 percent have just a high school diploma [6].  

With the following education, you can expect to earn this amount as a supply chain manager [7]:

• Associate degree: $92,543

• Bachelor’s degree: $108,240

• Master’s degree: $118,982

• Doctorate degree: $124,654

Experience

In general, more job experience equals higher pay. For supply chain managers looking to move up in supply chain management, your experience can translate into earning more money as you rise through the ranks. The following offers an estimate based on the median base pay for common job titles:

• Supply chain manager: $110,523 [8]

• Senior supply chain manager: $144,641 [9]

• Director of supply chain: $150,802 [10]

• Vice president of supply chain: $176,523 [11]

Industry

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 [2]:

• Federal government: $95,890

• Manufacturing: $82,410

• Management of companies: $81,890

• Professional and technical services: $80,160

• Wholesale: $72,200

Further, if you work in a job related to supply chain manager, these are the average base pay salaries you can expect to earn:

• Manufacturing manager: $102,904 [12]

• Transportation manager: $71,949 [13]

• Procurement manager: $108,360 [14]

• Supply chain analytics manager: $118,834 [15]

• Demand planner: $88,105 [16]

• Supply chain analyst: $82,821 [17]

Location

Where you live or where your company is located can impact how much money you take home. This will give you an idea of what a supply chain manager can expect to earn in different cities in the United States (based on total compensation) [4]:

• Santa Ana, CA: $105,771

• Boston, MA: $103,816

• Houston, TX: $92,719

• Chicago, IL: $87,763

• Portland, OR: $86,241

• San Diego, CA: $85,114

• Dallas, TX: $78,148

• Cleveland, OH: $74,130

• Plano, TX: $73,938

Get started in supply chain management with Coursera

As a supply chain manager, you command a high earning potential with the ability to work in various cities, industries, and roles. Your career as a supply chain manager can start today with a free seven-day trial. Try the Supply Chain Management Specialization from Rutgers University to learn the basics of logistics, planning, sourcing, and more. You'll become job-ready in just six months or less.