Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for material project managers in the United States
Material project manager job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected material project manager job growth rate is -6% from 2018-2028.
About -29,500 new jobs for material project managers are projected over the next decade.
Material project manager salaries have increased 13% for material project managers in the last 5 years.
There are over 10,733 material project managers currently employed in the United States.
There are 127,323 active material project manager job openings in the US.
The average material project manager salary is $86,465.
Are material project manager jobs in demand?
Material project manager job and salary trends over time
Material project manager jobs over time
Material project manager job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,733 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 10,988 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 11,165 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 10,760 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 10,906 | 0.00% |
Average material project manager salary over time
Material project manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $86,465 | $41.57 | +4.0% |
| 2024 | $83,149 | $39.98 | +1.8% |
| 2023 | $81,659 | $39.26 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $79,476 | $38.21 | +3.7% |
| 2021 | $76,613 | $36.83 | +3.2% |
Material project manager jobs by state
Most common states for material project managers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 633 | 91% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,989 | 29% |
| 3 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,951 | 26% |
| 4 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 345 | 26% |
| 5 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 268 | 25% |
| 6 | Vermont | 623,657 | 159 | 25% |
| 7 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,325 | 24% |
| 8 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,914 | 23% |
| 9 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,376 | 23% |
| 10 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 1,309 | 23% |
| 11 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 167 | 22% |
| 12 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 873 | 21% |
| 13 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 658 | 21% |
| 14 | Delaware | 961,939 | 205 | 21% |
| 15 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 590 | 20% |
| 16 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 205 | 20% |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 2,450 | 19% |
| 18 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,294 | 19% |
| 19 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 595 | 19% |
| 20 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 324 | 19% |
Most common cities for material project managers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Londonderry | 2 | 8% | $98,081 |
| 2 | Milpitas | 2 | 3% | $107,374 |
| 3 | Brookfield | 1 | 3% | $73,548 |
| 4 | Carrollton | 2 | 1% | $78,933 |
| 5 | McKinney | 2 | 1% | $78,569 |
| 6 | New Orleans | 2 | 1% | $71,986 |
| 7 | Savannah | 2 | 1% | $76,965 |
| 8 | Alexandria | 1 | 1% | $88,731 |
| 9 | Asheville | 1 | 1% | $68,952 |
| 10 | Carson | 1 | 1% | $99,554 |
| 11 | Centennial | 1 | 1% | $75,940 |
| 12 | Charleston | 1 | 1% | $75,593 |
| 13 | Charlotte | 3 | 0% | $69,448 |
| 14 | Albuquerque | 2 | 0% | $84,136 |
| 15 | Raleigh | 2 | 0% | $71,437 |
| 16 | Austin | 1 | 0% | $80,315 |
| 17 | Chesapeake | 1 | 0% | $87,418 |
| 18 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $74,829 |
Material Project Manager job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of material project manager experts
Pennsylvania State University - New Kensington
ASCM
Mr. Supply Chain
What type of skills will young Material Project Managers need?
Adrian Tan: The feedback from business leaders is that they wish to see a balanced mix of different skills in new graduates. An unexpected skill mentioned is the ability to use spreadsheets such as Excel. Companies do not expect to have to train new employees to use spreadsheets, though it turned out that spreadsheets are widely used (at varying levels of complexity) at all levels in organizations. An assumption here is that if a graduate already has good spreadsheet skills, then the graduate should also have the ability to quickly pick up on other more complex business IT skills required by the organization.
Businesses also need to know if their new employees can effectively interact with internal or external audiences. In this regard, excellent presentation skills are the minimum expectation from businesses. Presentation skills (both formal and informal) include the ability to read people, to communicate, and to covey information appropriately to the different types of audiences they may encounter - and these may sometimes include bored, skeptical, adversarial or even hostile audiences.
Every organization also requires graduates to show that they are good team-players. In addition to that, it is a big advantage if graduates can also demonstrate sound leadership skills in the context of teamwork. This is because new employees with leadership potential are viewed as those who are willing to go the extra mile, able to function with minimum supervision, can roll with the punches to jump back into the fray, and trusted to welcome (instead of to avoid) new assignments or challenges. Leadership skills are also seen as closely aligned with the possession of a corporate entrepreneurial mindset in that such employees are more willing to challenge the status quo, come up with out-of-the-box ideas, and help lead transformation efforts that can guide the organization in the future.
How do you envision technology impacting Material Project Managers in the next 5 years?
Adrian Tan: Large organizations will likely continue to invest in data mining efforts to better understand their supply chain dynamics. Smaller companies (defined as those with reduced access to funding) will likely make increased use of cloud computing applications to remain competitive. Governments, verification or certification organizations may invest in blockchain technologies in order to reliably track sources or destinations of goods.
What type of skills will young Material Project Managers need?
Abe Eshkenazi: COVID-19 has put a global spotlight on the importance of supply chain functions for all aspects of life, including food, e-commerce and logistics, public health, and the economy, so there's no better time for graduates to enter the profession.
A successful career in the supply chain requires both technical and leadership skills. The Association for Supply Chain Management's 2020 Salary and Career Survey found the top five technical skills for supply chain professionals to master include: inventory management, best practice knowledge, project management, computer skills, and risk management. On the flip side, the top leadership skills that respondents valued in potential employees were effective communication, collaboration with others, critical thinking, big picture future planning, and problem-solving. While it's not expected that new graduates have mastered each and every skill listed, they should be able to articulate to future employers how they have used these skills in the past and show that they plan to hone them in the future through on-the-job experience and continued learning.
In addition to academic credentials, there is a push towards more application/competency-based knowledge (certifications) that can be achieved for specific areas within the supply chain.
What type of skills will young Material Project Managers need?
Daniel Stanton: Of course, supply chain professionals need to understand the basics of logistics, procurement, and operations. But if I had to pick just three skills that I think are going to be critical for supply chain graduates in the years ahead, I'd say 1) Data Analysis, 2) Systems Thinking, and 3) Project Management. The amount of data that's available is growing quickly, and we need people who can access and analyze it. Then, we need to understand what that data means, and how it affects all of the different functions within our supply chains. And finally, in order to use that data to make changes, supply chain professionals need to be able to launch and manage projects effectively.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Material Project Managers to find work opportunities?
Daniel Stanton: Every business and government organization has a supply chain, and that means there are job opportunities for supply chain professionals virtually everywhere. I always encourage people to focus on industries and regions that align with their personal priorities, while factoring in the upside opportunities and downside risks. It's easier to get a job with a company that is growing, and in a region that has a strong economy. But you can still find opportunities with companies that are trying to cut costs in their supply chain to survive an economic downturn.
How do you envision technology impacting Material Project Managers in the next 5 years?
Daniel Stanton: Technology is having a huge impact on supply chains! Many of our planning and execution processes are being automated, and robots and autonomous vehicles are changing the way we think about transportation and material handling. Sensors and telecommunications are also giving us better visibility to what's happening throughout the supply chain, and making it much easier to control supply chain activities around the world from a laptop or cellphone. I know some people are concerned about technology replacing the work that people are doing today, and eliminating supply chain jobs. But I think there are many more examples of companies that are creating new positions for people who can plan and orchestrate the vast number of complex activities that need to be aligned in order for a supply chain to function effectively.