How To Become A Supply Chain Manager
Runs the flow of goods from suppliers to customers: purchasing, inventory, warehousing and transportation under one set of targets.
Supply Chain Manager Salary Data
Supply Chain Manager Salary: What The BLS Figures Show
The supply chain manager salary figure everyone quotes is a median of $107,230, and it comes from a larger group than the job title. BLS counts supply chain managers inside transportation, storage and distribution managers, so the numbers on this page describe that whole occupation of 221,180 people (May 2025).
By the Supply Chain Degree Programs editorial team Updated
The Pay Figures At A Glance
- The median is $107,230. That is for transportation, storage and distribution managers; the average is $121,600.
- The 10th to 90th percentiles run $65,120 to $194,900. Hourly, the median works out to $51.55.
- Delaware pays the highest state median, $145,000. Mississippi pays the lowest, $85,770.
- The best-paying industry has a median of $190,230. The best-paying metro is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, at $177,400.
- Projected change through 2035: 6.1%. Annual openings: about 18,300.
How Much Does A Supply Chain Manager Make?
Half of all transportation, storage and distribution managers earn more than $107,230 a year and half earn less. The average, $121,600, sits above the median, and the full range runs from $65,120 at the 10th percentile to $194,900 at the 90th. On an hourly basis the median works out to $51.55.
The middle half of the occupation earns between $82,440 and $146,770, a gap of $64,330. The sections below show how far location, industry and employer type each move the number.
| Percentile | Annual Pay |
|---|---|
| 10th | $65,120 |
| 25th | $82,440 |
| Median | $107,230 |
| 75th | $146,770 |
| 90th | $194,900 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, transportation, storage and distribution managers, national. BLS publishes no separate wage for supply chain managers. They are counted inside transportation, storage and distribution managers, and every figure here is for that whole occupation. Read 2026-09-23.
Why The Supply Chain Manager Salary Comes From A Broader Occupation
O*NET, the federal occupation database, does list supply chain managers as their own occupation, code 11-3071.04, with job titles like global supply chain director, material requirements planning manager and solution design and analysis manager. But the wage survey that produces salary figures, OEWS, only publishes at the level above it: transportation, storage and distribution managers.
That broader code also counts the people O*NET files under titles like distribution center manager, distribution manager, fleet manager, global transportation manager and logistics director. So when a site prints "supply chain manager salary: $107,230", it is printing the median for all of them. It's still the closest federal figure there is. Just read it as the pay for running some part of the flow of goods, not as a quote for one specific title.
Warehouse Manager And Transportation Manager Salary
Warehouse managers and transportation or fleet managers are counted in this same occupation, so there is no separate BLS salary for either title. What BLS does publish is the occupation’s pay by industry. In warehousing and storage, the industry that employs more of these managers than any other, the median is $99,330 across 21,430 jobs. In truck transportation it is $98,800 across 17,860 jobs.
Read those as the pay of transportation, storage and distribution managers working in each industry, not as quotes for one title. The warehouse manager salary and transportation manager salary pages set each title’s pay across the industries it works in, and the warehouse manager and transportation manager career guides cover how the jobs differ.
Supply Chain Manager Salary By State
20 of the 51 states in the table pay a median above the national $107,230. Delaware has the highest median, $145,000, on 310 jobs. Among states with at least 5,000 jobs in the occupation, New Jersey leads at $130,610. The lowest state median is $85,770, in Mississippi, so the top and bottom states sit $59,230 apart.
The biggest markets are California, with 30,540 jobs and a median of $123,780, and Texas, with 28,710 jobs at $100,700.
| State | Median | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $145,000 | $101,250 | $210,080 | 310 |
| Washington | $136,500 | $84,870 | $202,070 | 2,490 |
| Colorado | $132,610 | $80,160 | $213,580 | 2,310 |
| District of Columbia | $132,180 | $79,910 | $195,190 | 610 |
| New Jersey | $130,610 | $87,330 | $216,840 | 9,120 |
| New Hampshire | $129,470 | $80,550 | $198,700 | 530 |
| New York | $127,180 | $80,430 | $204,600 | 6,740 |
| Massachusetts | $123,830 | $75,400 | $223,700 | 4,310 |
| California | $123,780 | $71,260 | $208,420 | 30,540 |
| Georgia | $123,330 | $74,920 | $207,890 | 6,700 |
| Illinois | $120,250 | $68,310 | $207,570 | 11,030 |
| Virginia | $119,140 | $77,010 | $205,640 | 3,380 |
| Alabama | $118,320 | $63,710 | $198,970 | 1,250 |
| Minnesota | $118,180 | $71,610 | $200,450 | 4,030 |
| Rhode Island | $117,600 | $71,760 | $207,580 | 450 |
| Connecticut | $114,210 | $68,760 | $179,230 | 2,410 |
| Wyoming | $112,310 | $77,960 | $145,960 | 130 |
| Indiana | $108,720 | $70,690 | $174,220 | 4,190 |
| Montana | $108,180 | $66,300 | $146,570 | 300 |
| South Dakota | $107,410 | $70,090 | $147,230 | 370 |
| South Carolina | $106,860 | $68,150 | $199,970 | 3,460 |
| Kansas | $106,130 | $79,300 | $164,790 | 1,150 |
| North Carolina | $106,100 | $66,090 | $191,650 | 6,650 |
| Pennsylvania | $105,240 | $65,560 | $182,390 | 8,540 |
| Maryland | $105,180 | $71,450 | $169,680 | 3,550 |
| Oregon | $103,520 | $66,260 | $186,460 | 2,860 |
| Alaska | $103,080 | $76,310 | $157,100 | |
| Missouri | $102,870 | $58,240 | $186,040 | 3,650 |
| Utah | $102,180 | $65,090 | $169,180 | 3,010 |
| Maine | $102,110 | $65,010 | $169,370 | 370 |
| Vermont | $101,850 | $70,090 | $167,530 | 390 |
| Florida | $101,570 | $54,490 | $173,950 | |
| Ohio | $101,550 | $62,160 | $175,190 | 9,480 |
| Hawaii | $101,480 | $70,350 | $173,630 | 830 |
| New Mexico | $101,420 | $65,610 | $155,370 | 660 |
| Tennessee | $100,740 | $55,420 | $181,680 | 4,910 |
| North Dakota | $100,720 | $70,420 | $151,430 | 390 |
| Texas | $100,700 | $63,380 | $177,340 | 28,710 |
| Kentucky | $100,340 | $58,250 | $175,390 | 2,340 |
| Nevada | $99,860 | $62,780 | $162,720 | 2,250 |
| Michigan | $99,100 | $61,720 | $169,020 | 8,180 |
| Iowa | $99,010 | $61,340 | $164,980 | 1,850 |
| Arizona | $98,750 | $68,780 | $166,680 | 3,390 |
| West Virginia | $98,230 | $56,970 | $157,540 | 530 |
| Nebraska | $97,380 | $64,320 | $147,110 | 1,420 |
| Oklahoma | $96,830 | $53,930 | $168,180 | 1,660 |
| Wisconsin | $95,900 | $57,410 | $176,090 | 5,410 |
| Idaho | $93,920 | $56,510 | $171,940 | 1,040 |
| Louisiana | $93,650 | $54,220 | $154,240 | 2,840 |
| Arkansas | $89,200 | $52,620 | $174,990 | 1,440 |
| Mississippi | $85,770 | $51,780 | $154,470 | 2,410 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, by state, sorted by median. A blank jobs cell means BLS withheld the employment estimate for that state (Alaska, Florida). Read 2026-09-23.
Supply Chain Manager Salary By Metro Area
BLS publishes a median for transportation, storage and distribution managers in 348 metropolitan areas, and 69 of them have at least 500 jobs in the occupation, enough for the median to describe a real local market. Among those, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA pays the most, at $177,400, followed by Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $146,080.
| Metro Area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $177,400 | 1,760 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $146,080 | 1,690 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $145,170 | 3,750 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $135,220 | 1,340 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $133,640 | 10,410 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $131,970 | 590 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $129,050 | 2,570 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $128,760 | 3,190 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $127,520 | 4,460 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $127,500 | 12,260 |
The largest markets are a different list. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA has the most jobs, 12,260, at a median of $127,500, and the five biggest metros together hold 48,680 jobs, 22% of the occupation. The metros where the occupation is most concentrated relative to the local workforce are Laredo, TX (location quotient 3.92), Anchorage, AK (location quotient 2.61) and Stockton-Lodi, CA (location quotient 1.94).
Treat the metro figures as nominal pay. OEWS wages are not adjusted for local living costs, so a high median in an expensive metro and a lower one in a cheaper metro can leave a worker with similar purchasing power. Housing and other costs vary enough between metros that the ranking above is a ranking of paychecks, not of standards of living.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, metropolitan area estimates. Ranked only among metros with at least 500 jobs in the occupation. A location quotient compares the occupation's share of local jobs with its share of jobs nationally. Read 2026-09-24.
Top-Paying Industries For Supply Chain Managers
BLS publishes the occupation's pay in 202 industries. Among those employing at least 1,000 transportation, storage and distribution managers, the highest median is in scientific research and development services, at $190,230, which is $83,000 above the national figure.
| Industry | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $190,230 | 1,560 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $156,720 | 17,630 |
| Support Activities for Water Transportation | $154,510 | 3,490 |
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | $141,640 | 1,110 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $138,870 | 1,200 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | $136,680 | 1,210 |
Where The Jobs Are, And Where The Pay Is
The industries that pay the most are mostly not the ones that hire the most. The six top-paying industries above employ 26,200 transportation, storage and distribution managers between them, 12% of the occupation. The five largest employers hold 73,310, or 33%. One industry is on both lists: management of companies and enterprises.
| Largest Employers | Jobs | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Warehousing and Storage | 21,430 | $99,330 |
| Truck Transportation | 17,860 | $98,800 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 17,630 | $156,720 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | 8,560 | $98,120 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals | 7,830 | $122,880 |
The single largest employer, warehousing and storage, pays a median of $99,330. That is $90,900 below the top-paying industry, which is the practical trade-off: most of the jobs sit in the big employers, and the highest pay sits in industries with far fewer of them.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, national industry-specific estimates, by industry. Each figure is the median for transportation, storage and distribution managers working in that industry. Top-paying industries are ranked only among those with at least 1,000 jobs in the occupation. Read 2026-09-23.
What Moves Supply Chain Manager Pay
The range is wide partly because the job is. The Handbook says the specific tasks vary: in some warehouse and transportation operations a manager spends more time supervising workers and has fewer budget responsibilities, while supply chain and logistics managers set strategy for a whole network. Both are counted here, and so are fleet, shipping and distribution center managers.
Employer Type
Transportation, storage and distribution managers at private employers earn a median of $105,770, and private employers hold 90% of the occupation's jobs. Among government employers, the federal government pays the highest median, $120,270, which is $14,500 above private pay.
| Employer | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Private employers | $105,770 | 200,010 |
| Federal government | $120,270 | 7,670 |
| State government | $117,590 | 2,720 |
| Local government | $110,950 | 10,780 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, national ownership estimates. State and local government include their schools and hospitals, and the federal row includes the Postal Service, as BLS defines them.
Location
The top and bottom states sit $59,230 apart at the median. Among metros with at least 500 jobs, the gap between the highest and lowest median is $97,230, wider than the state gap. Neither figure is adjusted for living costs.
Degree Level
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education for transportation, storage and distribution managers, with 5 years or more of related work experience. That is an entry requirement, not a pay effect: the wage survey measures occupations, not degrees. For what a degree costs, see the rankings of bachelor’s in supply chain management, master’s in supply chain management, online master’s in supply chain management, MBA in supply chain management and online supply chain management degrees.
Certification
The certifications that fit this work, and what each one requires, are covered in the supply chain manager career guide and warehouse manager career guide and transportation manager career guide.
How Supply Chain Manager Pay Compares With Other Supply Chain Jobs
A supply chain degree leads to more than one occupation, and they don't pay the same. Of the 9 BLS occupations below, transportation, storage and distribution managers have the third-highest median. The highest is purchasing managers, at $148,080.
| Occupation | Median | 10th To 90th | Typical Entry | Growth 2025-35 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purchasing Managers | $148,080 | $92,490 to $223,280 | Bachelor's degreeplus 5 years or more experience | 4% |
| Industrial Production Managers | $126,060 | $78,000 to $205,520 | Bachelor's degreeplus 5 years or more experience | 2.6% |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $107,230 | $65,120 to $194,900 | High school diploma or equivalentplus 5 years or more experience | 6.1% |
| Operations Research Analysts | $88,940 | $57,060 to $159,910 | Bachelor's degree | 11.9% |
| Logisticians | $82,320 | $50,890 to $133,160 | Bachelor's degree | 17.6% |
| Compliance Officers | $80,730 | $48,220 to $133,720 | Bachelor's degree | 3.8% |
| Buyers and Purchasing Agents | $77,710 | $48,380 to $128,870 | Bachelor's degree | 6% |
| Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $59,650 | $40,080 to $86,000 | High school diploma or equivalent | -1.3% |
| Cargo and Freight Agents | $52,260 | $38,340 to $79,810 | High school diploma or equivalent | 6.2% |
The spread follows seniority more than subject. The 3 highest medians belong to the 3 management occupations, and BLS says each of them typically needs 5 years or more of related work experience to enter. The other 6 are specialist occupations that BLS lists with no experience requirement at entry. The management jobs are also the ones the specialists move into: buyers become purchasing managers, and logisticians become supply chain managers, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Sources: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (pay); BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 (growth); EP Table 1.2 (typical entry education and experience).
Job Outlook For Supply Chain Managers
BLS projects employment of transportation, storage and distribution managers to grow from 228,100 to 242,100 over 2025 to 2035, a change of 6.1%. That's 2.6 points faster than the 3.5% projected for all occupations.
Growth is the smaller part of the hiring. BLS expects about 18,300 openings a year, and it splits them three ways: people leaving the labor force, mostly to retire; people moving into a different occupation; and new jobs from growth.
| Source Of Openings, Per Year | Openings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Workers leaving the labor force | 4,900 | 27% |
| Workers moving to other occupations | 12,000 | 66% |
| New jobs from growth | 1,400 | 8% |
| Total openings | 18,300 | 100% |
Replacement demand dominates: 92% of openings come from people leaving the occupation, not from new positions. Transfers outnumber retirements, so more of the openings come from transportation, storage and distribution managers moving on to other jobs than from people leaving work. Each year BLS expects 7.2% of the occupation to leave it, against 9.7% across all occupations. About 3.6% of workers in the occupation are self-employed, which is why EP's employment count runs higher than OEWS's.
What Drives Demand
The Handbook ties demand to e-commerce: as online buying makes supply chains more complex, these managers are needed to integrate logistics with business systems, coordinate more inventory across more supply chains, and keep delivery on time.
BLS's own stated reasons behind the projection, from its industry-occupation matrix:
- Demand change - share increases as supply chain management grows more complex resulting in the need for enhanced integration of logistics with business systems and processes. (merchant wholesalers, durable goods (4232,3,5,6,7,9); merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods (4244,8); truck transportation; freight transportation arrangement; warehousing and storage; management of companies and enterprises)
- Demand change - share decreases as mergers reduce the number of transportation, storage, and distribution managers. (couriers and express delivery services)
Sources: BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35; EP tables 1.10 (separations and openings) and 1.12 (factors affecting occupational utilization). The growth row is total openings minus separations. Read 2026-09-23.
Does A Supply Chain Degree Raise Your Salary?
BLS reports what an occupation pays, not what a degree pays, so there's no federal figure for "supply chain manager salary with a master's." Use the numbers above as the pay for the job you're aiming at. A degree matters to the extent that it gets you hired into the occupation, or promoted within it.
Cost is the part of a degree you can pin down. These rankings list tuition read from each school’s own page, so you can set a real price against the salary range here: bachelor’s in supply chain management, master’s in supply chain management, online master’s in supply chain management, MBA in supply chain management and online supply chain management degrees.
FAQ
How Much Does A Supply Chain Manager Make?
The median is $107,230 a year for transportation, storage and distribution managers, the BLS occupation behind this page (May 2025). The middle half of the occupation earns between $82,440 and $146,770.
What Is The Hourly Pay For Supply Chain Managers?
The median hourly wage for transportation, storage and distribution managers is $51.55 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How Much Do The Top-Paid Supply Chain Managers Make?
The 90th percentile for transportation, storage and distribution managers is $194,900 a year, so one in ten earns more than that. The 75th percentile is $146,770.
Which State Pays Supply Chain Managers The Most?
Delaware has the highest state median, $145,000, on 310 jobs. Among states with at least 5,000 jobs in the occupation, New Jersey is highest at $130,610.
Which City Pays Supply Chain Managers The Most?
Among metro areas with at least 500 jobs in the occupation, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has the highest median, $177,400. The figure is not adjusted for living costs.
Which Industry Pays Supply Chain Managers The Most?
Among industries employing at least 1,000 transportation, storage and distribution managers, scientific research and development services pays the highest median, $190,230.
Do Government Supply Chain Managers Earn More Than Private-Sector Ones?
Transportation, storage and distribution managers in the federal government earn a median of $120,270, against $105,770 at private employers (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Federal pay is higher at the median, but 90% of the occupation works for private employers.
Is The Supply Chain Manager Job Market Growing?
BLS projects employment of transportation, storage and distribution managers to grow 6.1% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 18,300 openings a year.
Keep Reading
How To Become A Warehouse Manager
Runs a warehouse or distribution center: inbound and outbound shipments, inventory, staff, safety and the building itself.
How To Become A Transportation Manager
Runs an organization’s transportation: the drivers, the fleet, the routes and the safety rules they operate under.
Bachelor’s In Supply Chain Management, Ranked
Programs read from each school’s own page, with tuition where the school states it.
Sources
- 1 BLS OEWS, May 2025: Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (SOC 11-3071), national and state profile Read .
- 2 BLS OEWS, May 2025: metropolitan area estimates Read .
- 3 BLS OEWS, May 2025: national industry-specific and ownership estimates Read .
- 4 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics home
- 5 BLS Employment Projections, National Employment Matrix, 2025-35 Read .
- 6 BLS Employment Projections, occupation tables 1.2, 1.10 and 1.12, 2025-35 Read .
- 7 O*NET OnLine, 11-3071.04 Supply Chain Managers Read .
- 8 O*NET OnLine, 11-3071.00 Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers Read .