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.
Also called: Auto Parts Manager (Automotive Parts Manager), Demand Planning Manager, Global Supply Chain Director, Global Supply Chain Manager, Inventory Control Supervisor, Inventory Manager
Median pay
$107,230
Pay for the broader BLS group “Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$65,120 – $194,900
People employed
221,180
Whole BLS group
Holland code
ECR
Enterprising · Conventional · Realistic
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 2.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 3.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 4.Do you want variety, with new tasks often?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
- Dealing with conflict is part of the job
Supply Chain Managers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers”.
What supply chain managers do
- 01Determine appropriate equipment and staffing levels to load, unload, move, or store materials.
- 02Manage activities related to strategic or tactical purchasing, material requirements planning, controlling inventory, warehousing, or receiving.
- 03Select transportation routes to maximize economy by combining shipments or consolidating warehousing and distribution.
- 04Define performance metrics for measurement, comparison, or evaluation of supply chain factors, such as product cost or quality.
- 05Implement new or improved supply chain processes to improve efficiency or performance.
- 06Develop procedures for coordination of supply chain management with other functional areas, such as sales, marketing, finance, production, or quality assurance.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
Knowledge
- Transportation
- Administration and Management
- English Language
- Economics and Accounting
- Customer and Personal Service
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Achievement Orientation
- Adaptability
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: over 10 years.
- On-the-job training: over 1 month, up to and including 3 months.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from supply chain managers
- Logisticians94% · —
- Logistics Analysts89% · group pay
- General and Operations Managers88% · —
- Project Management Specialists84% · —
- Logistics Engineers82% · group pay
Change into supply chain managers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Logisticians94% · $82,320
- Logistics Analysts89% · $82,320
- Logistics Engineers82% · $82,320
- General and Operations Managers81% · $105,770
- First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers80% · $87,520
Majors that lead here
- Public Administration
- Transportation and Infrastructure Planning/Studies
- Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology, General
- Aviation/Airway Management and Operations
- Business/Commerce, General
- Business Administration and Management, General
- Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management
- Transportation/Mobility Management
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.