The global pandemic disrupted the supply chain of many items. Demand for certain items disappeared overnight when thousands of businesses shut down, while demand for other things skyrocketed due to panic buying. Who would have ever thought that there were be a run on buying toilet paper in bulk quantities?
Why get a supply chain management degree?
Getting a degree to pursue employment in supply chain management has always been a great career choice. The pandemic made it abundantly clear that supply chain management is now even more critical to the global economy. Effective supply chain management becomes how we can respond to an emergency.
Top 5 Supply Chain Management Degrees
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami Dade College | Miami, Florida |
| 2 | Highline College | Des Moines, Washington |
| 3 | Weber State University | Ogden, Utah |
| 4 | California State University Northridge | Los Angeles, California |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin Oshkosh | Oshkosh, Wisconsin |
Popular “just-in-time” inventory systems used for supply chain management failed to consider what happens when critical parts or other items needed are suddenly unavailable, causing a rethinking of supply chain management and the need for better practices. Students entering into study programs to get a degree in this field will find plenty of job openings upon graduation because the opportunities in supply chain management are expanding.
How much do supply chain managers make?
Salary.com reports that a supply chain manager earns the median annual salary of $109,636. Top earners get $142,402 each year. For a non-managerial role, expect to earn up to $74,590.There is terrific earning power for this occupation.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that demand for those in a senior executive role as a supply chain manager will increase by 9% over the next five years with 205,200 new high-paying jobs in this field. Please note that the BLS calls these job positions “logisticians,” which is from the word logistics and another way to connote a supply chain of procurement, manufacturing, shipping, and handling.
Tips on Getting a Supply Chain Management Degree
We took a look at the best college and university programs to attend or take online courses to get a supply chain management degree at the bachelor’s level. Those who want to capture a senior-level executive position need to continue their education by getting a master’s in supply chain management.
One way to save money is to take your classes online. If you plan to get a master’s later, consider getting your undergraduate degree at a quality, low-cost school. In this way, you can save your money to pay for a pricey brand name for your master’s degree.
Reviews of Schools Offering a Bachelor’s in Supply Chain Management
We selected degree programs based on the value of the program in comparison with its cost and the time it takes to get a degree.
Most programs can be completed by a regular full-time student in four years. Degrees require taking 120 to 127 credits. Accelerated programs are faster for those who can handle the commitment to heavy studying.
If you are an honor student, who did well in high school, be sure to investigate to find out if the undergraduate school you are considering accepts the College-Level Examination Program® (CLEP). By taking and passing CLEP tests, you can earn college credit at over 2,900 schools.
Another money-saving strategy is to take low-cost classes at a community college that qualify for transfer credits at the school that will award your bachelor’s degree.
To get a bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, here are the 15 top schools we selected for your consideration, with our best value choice listed first.
Best 15 Supply Chain Management Degree Programs
Miami Dade College
Miami Dade College offers a Bachelor of Applied Science in Supply Chain Management. Students learn about economics, logistics, inventory management, regulatory issues, resource allocation, production planning, and risk mitigation.
School Overview
Highline College
Highline College is located between the ports of Seattle and Tacoma in the state of Washington. This school offers a degree program to earn a Bachelor of Applied Science in Global Trade and Logistics. Students get practical experience in customs brokerage, freight forwarding, third-party logistics, trucking, warehousing, packing, and distribution.
School Overview
Weber State University
Weber State University, located in Ogden, Utah, offers a Bachelor of Science in Supply Chain Management. Weber’s School of Business & Economics is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). This accreditation is achieved by less than 6% of all business universities.
School Overview
California State University Northridge
California State University Northridge offers a Bachelor of Science, Business Administration in Global Supply Chain Management program. All students who major in business take 27 units of core lower-division courses and 19 credits of upper-division core courses plus the electives and the classes needed to specialize in supply chain management for a total of 120 credits. This school also offers degrees with a double major. These degrees require a student to complete 140 credits. Double majors are only available for students who maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher.
School Overview
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh offers an undergraduate degree in Supply Chain Management (SCM). Students learn how to plan, manage, and coordinate all the activities needed to source and procure raw materials, bring them through the production process, and deliver a final product to the customer in the most efficient way possible.
The school requires students to enter with a minimum of 44 credits already earned from a qualifying institution, such as a community college.
- Time to Complete Program: Two or three years. It is the same tuition to take 12 or 18 credits per semester. Students can take an accelerated program of 18 credits per semester and finish this program in two years to save money on tuition.
School Overview
Missouri Western State University
Missouri Western State University offers a bachelor’s in Supply Chain Management (SCM). Students learn demand planning, purchasing, logistics, inventory management, and quality control.
School Overview
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University offers an undergraduate degree program in Management – Sustainable Supply Management. Students are taught how to make a difference by managing environmental, economic, and social impacts for the entire life-cycle of products and services.
- Time to Complete Program: Four years. Students can finish one semester early by taking 18 credits per semester for the same price as taking 12 credits per semester. This allows a student to save $3,410 and pay only $23,870 in total tuition.
School Overview
State University of New York Plattsburgh
State University of New York Plattsburgh offers a bachelor’s degree in Global Supply Chain Management (GSCM) that uses the SAP enterprise resource planning software. This software costs around $1.5 million and is used by over 38,000 organizations worldwide for supply chain management. This degree program is very practical. It teaches the job skills needed to enter the job market and be a qualified candidate that employers want to hire.
School Overview
University of Central Oklahoma
University of Central Oklahoma offers an undergraduate program to earn a Bachelor of Business Administration in Operations and Supply Chain Management (OSCM). Students learn to apply critical thinking to information systems and develop a structured solution to supply chain challenges.
School Overview
Murray State University
Murray State University in Kentucky offers a bachelor’s degree in Logistics and Supply Chain Management. Students must complete 38 to 49 credits of core undergraduate educational requirements, 41 credits in core business classes, 21 credits in courses for the specialization in supply chain management, and electives for a total of 120 credits.
- Tuition per Credit: $302 (KY resident), $323 (TN resident), $362 (AL, AK, IL, IN, MO, and MI resident), and $464 (all other non-residents)
- Total Tuition: $36,672 (KY resident), $38,784 (TN resident), $43,440 (AL, AK, IL, IN, MO, and MI resident), and $55,680 (other non-residents).
School Overview
East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University offers a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) with a concentration in Logistics & Supply Chain Management. All students take the core curriculum requirements for general education, business courses, and can choose elective courses for the specialization in supply chain management.
- Tuition per Credit: $329 (TN resident), $350 (residents of KY, VA, NC, SC, and GA), and $450 (all other non-residents).
- Total Tuition: $39,480 (TN resident), $42,000 (residents of KY, VA, NC, SC, and GA), and $54,000 (all other non-residents).
School Overview
University of Southern Mississippi
University of Southern Mississippi offers a degree in Management (Supply Chain Management), B.S.B.A. This program is offered as online courses. It includes a core curriculum of business courses with a specialization (minor) in supply chain management.
School Overview
University of Alabama
University of Alabama offers a Bachelor of Science in Operations Management. Students learn about procurement, logistics, inventory management, process analysis, process improvement, quality control, production planning, scheduling, manufacturing, supply chain management, and transportation.
School Overview
California State University San Marcos
California State University San Marcos offers a bachelor’s degree in Global Supply Chain Management. Students learn how to manage the global supply network of a major international company for procurement, distribution and marketing, supplier management, manufacturing, service delivery, and customer relationship management.
School Overview
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University offers a bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management that has a more focused program than other more general business degrees. Supply chain management courses make up 43 of the credit requirements for this degree. Students use technology integration and quantitative methods as they study for this interdisciplinary supply management program.
- Time to Complete Program: Four years. It is the same tuition to take 12 or 18 credits per semester. Students can take an accelerated program of 18 credits per semester and finish one semester early. This saves $6,048 (MI resident) and $7,680 (non-resident).
- Total Tuition: Regular program $60,480 (MI resident) and $76,400 (non-resident).
School Overview
We are ready to help you if you have any questions regarding any of the programs we reviewed, just contact us for more help.
Our Ranking Methodology
We were searching for programs that have low-cost tuition and offered an accelerated program to earn an undergraduate degree as fast as possible. Demand for supply chain managers is so strong there is little time to waste in school. You can use our rankings to get a degree as fast as possible for as little as possible. If you choose to go on for a master’s, then you can use the money you save to pay for a “brand name” school for your graduate program.
If you notice a mistake we made or information about a certain program that is out-of-date, please let us know. If you think there is a program we should have reviewed, please send us an email about it so we can add the program to our list.
