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Job outlook for supply chain engineers in the United States
Supply chain engineer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected supply chain engineer job growth rate is 10% from 2018-2028.
About 30,600 new jobs for supply chain engineers are projected over the next decade.
Supply chain engineer salaries have increased 6% for supply chain engineers in the last 5 years.
There are over 16,924 supply chain engineers currently employed in the United States.
There are 53,744 active supply chain engineer job openings in the US.
The average supply chain engineer salary is $84,229.
Are supply chain engineer jobs in demand?
Supply chain engineer job and salary trends over time
Supply chain engineer jobs over time
Supply chain engineer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 16,924 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 21,416 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 21,182 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 15,301 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 14,388 | 0.00% |
Average supply chain engineer salary over time
Supply chain engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $84,229 | $40.49 | +1.1% |
| 2024 | $83,348 | $40.07 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $82,420 | $39.63 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $81,322 | $39.10 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $79,835 | $38.38 | +1.0% |
Supply chain engineer jobs by state
Most common states for supply chain engineers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 245 | 35% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 131 | 21% |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 274 | 20% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,307 | 19% |
| 5 | Delaware | 961,939 | 160 | 17% |
| 6 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,077 | 15% |
| 7 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 858 | 15% |
| 8 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 635 | 15% |
| 9 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 454 | 15% |
| 10 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,157 | 14% |
| 11 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 148 | 14% |
| 12 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 104 | 14% |
| 13 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 807 | 13% |
| 14 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 76 | 13% |
| 15 | California | 39,536,653 | 4,759 | 12% |
| 16 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 662 | 12% |
| 17 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,355 | 11% |
| 18 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 741 | 11% |
| 19 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 407 | 11% |
| 20 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 119 | 11% |
Most common cities for supply chain engineers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frankfort | 2 | 7% | $71,202 |
| 2 | Hawthorne | 5 | 6% | $98,622 |
| 3 | Juneau | 2 | 6% | $79,095 |
| 4 | Annapolis | 2 | 5% | $85,057 |
| 5 | Bloomington | 3 | 4% | $73,503 |
| 6 | Decatur | 3 | 4% | $83,438 |
| 7 | Peoria | 3 | 3% | $83,453 |
| 8 | Hartford | 2 | 2% | $92,154 |
| 9 | Lansing | 2 | 2% | $87,419 |
| 10 | Atlanta | 7 | 1% | $73,363 |
| 11 | Detroit | 5 | 1% | $88,307 |
| 12 | Anaheim | 2 | 1% | $97,929 |
| 13 | Baton Rouge | 2 | 1% | $77,891 |
| 14 | Des Moines | 2 | 1% | $73,214 |
| 15 | Little Rock | 2 | 1% | $66,988 |
| 16 | Chicago | 4 | 0% | $85,367 |
| 17 | Boston | 3 | 0% | $89,304 |
| 18 | Denver | 2 | 0% | $76,666 |
Supply Chain Engineer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of supply chain engineer experts
Northern Illinois University
University of Washington
Oklahoma State University
Michigan State University
University of Pittsburgh
New Mexico State University
Clarkson University
Pennsylvania State University - Behrend, Erie PA
Kettering University
North Carolina State University
George Mason University
Wichita State University
Kettering University
Pennsylvania State University - New Kensington
ASCM
Mr. Supply Chain
What general advice would you give to a Supply Chain Engineer?
Priya Nagaraj: Students should be able to analyze and interpret data. For instance, demand forecasting and predictive analytics are a large part of this industry today. As the number of regulations across nations increases, it is important to have at least some knowledge of foreign regulations. Cross-cultural knowledge and experience are always a plus in this area for prospective employees. People skills are also important along with knowledge of additional languages.
What Supply Chain Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Priya Nagaraj: One of the most important factors is some experience in the industry. An internship working in the logistics or supply chain area is a plus. Sometimes students' internships are not specifically in logistics, in such cases, it helps to have worked on a project in class that mimics real-life situations.
What will help Supply Chain Engineers increase their earning potential?
Priya Nagaraj: Students need to know how to write their resumes and update their profiles so they can flag the skills they have acquired to prospective employers. Once they start their careers, attitude is one of the most important predictors of success - the ability to communicate and work in a team, and an openness to learn.
What will help Supply Chain Engineers increase their earning potential?
Ziteng Wang Ph.D.: There are quite many, but I’d like to highlight two. The first is the data analytics skill. This argument is not new, but I think the skill becomes more and more important. Rather than a particular skill, data analytics skill is more like a toolbox because it involves a variety of abilities to use different software for data cleansing, visualization, statistical modeling, validation, and data-driven decision-making. One of the reasons why Industrial Engineering is one of the most exciting and coolest jobs is that we could deal with data of all sorts in terms of scale, industry, quality, and problems to solve. This requires IE students to prepare themselves for the challenge which only will be more prevalent as AI-enabled products and technologies rely on data and produce new data. The second is the skill to work in an interdisciplinary team and communicate to people from different backgrounds. Industrial engineering deals with processes and systems that could span widely in scale, from global supply chains to manufacturing plants. IE students must be able to understand the perspectives and “languages” of various departments and even different organizations, and make their work, results, and their IE perspective understood by the stakeholders. This might not be easy but is highly necessary and becoming more important than ever because the problems in the field are more and more complex, requiring collaborative effort and system-wide solutions.
What general advice would you give to a Supply Chain Engineer?
Shuai Huang: An Industrial Engineer uses data analytics, simulation, operations research, optimization methods, human factors, and scientific management tools to develop an analytic perspective of business processes and production systems for optimal performance.
What general advice would you give to a Supply Chain Engineer?
Guiping Hu Ph.D.: People like the diversity and flexibility of being an industrial engineer. You can work on all kinds of problems with your industrial engineering skills. However, if you are only looking for a very narrow area in a specific engineering discipline, industrial engineering may not be right for you since we focus on system efficiency improvement and welfare of the workers.
What Supply Chain Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Guiping Hu Ph.D.: Industrial Engineering is a very inclusive, diverse, and dynamic discipline. IE is about choices, other engineering disciplines apply skills to very specific areas. IE gives you the opportunity to work on a variety of businesses. If you are interested in management and interacting with people and improving systems, IE is a great choice for you.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Supply Chain Engineers?
Kelly Lynch: Absolutely - both positive and negative and both long-term and short-term impacts. For example, a negative is that there are fewer companies offering full-time opportunities than before the pandemic, so that limits options for students, for now. That is a short-term negative impact. Longer-term and more positive for Supply Chain Management graduates is that there is significantly more awareness in companies about what supply chains are and how not understanding your supply chains puts your company at risk in so may ways. Companies need to attract talent that helps them to close gaps and identify opportunities to optimize their supply chains on many fronts. Supply chains and the entities that companies make strategic components of their supply chains and interact with them proactively will gain competitive advantage - not only in terms of cost efficiency, but in new product innovation, speed-to-market, sustainability, etc.
What's a good job out of college for Supply Chain Engineers?
Kelly Lynch: A good job is any position or opportunity that makes you - a recent graduate - happy. Some students are motivated by some factors and other students motivated by others. For example, it could be compensation, it could be geographic location, it could be upward mobility, it could be rotational programs, it could be finding an employer that aligns with your personal beliefs and values - or you may not want to go to a company - perhaps you want to start your own company, or go to law school, or ....?
What will help Supply Chain Engineers increase their earning potential?
Kelly Lynch: So many things:
-Good/exceptional grades
-Getting involved on campus - student clubs, becoming a mentor or tutor
-Taking leadership positions in clubs, fraternities, sororities, etc.
-Take advantage of experiential opportunities - internships, micro-internships, co-ops, on-campus employment, company tours and information sessions
-Community service - what can you do to make a difference in your "college town" and surrounding community - volunteer!
-Engage with faculty - classroom assistant, research assistant - help to advance knowledge among your peers
-Be confident in yourself
-Be organized - manage your time efficiently and you will do fine
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Supply Chain Engineers?
Karen Bursic Ph.D.: Right now, the Lean Six Sigma certifications as well as certifications or coursework in Supply Chain Management.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Supply Chain Engineers?
Edward Pines Ph.D.: I believe there will be long-term changes in the job market but mostly in the way students will work when they get a job. Remote work is here to stay for many engineers. Commuting to work and all the lifestyle activities that go with commuting to work will continue to decrease. Developing communication skills and developing teaming skills will become even more important for students and new graduates. As the technology improves, it will likely seem more like traveling to meet with colleagues in other locations. Recruiting will change as well so it will be helpful for students to learn how that area evolves.
What technical skills for a Supply Chain Engineer stand out to employers?
Tracy Farrell: Technical skills that employers are seeking include "real" computer skills like Microsoft Office Suite tools, proper communication skills via email and website development and postings, developing proper document format that is appropriate to send to stakeholders (i.e., letter formatting, report writing, email formatting); strong communication skills that include speaking professionally and respectfully to stakeholders as well as writing professionally (i.e., making eye contact when speaking, proper handshake, respectful dialogue including questioning); project management - knowing how to organize work and develop a timeline that includes who will be responsible for what and follow through; data analysis - being able to not only present data in an organized and understandable manner; but, be able to interpret data correctly offering the justification behind what they are interpreting and why.
Respectfully, today's graduates do not understand that being able to text and use social media does not prepare them for "real" computer skills. Many students that I have in high school and in college do not have proper writing skills, document formatting skills, or document management skills to know how to save documents properly and where to save to.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Supply Chain Engineers?
Tracy Farrell: I believe there will be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on graduates. Positively, they are now prepared to work in a variety of work environments: in-person, hybrid, and remote only. Navigating the changing schedules and technologies have put graduates at an advantage.
Negatively, some graduates may not have adjusted well to hybrid or remote only learning; therefore, putting them at a disadvantage to be able to adjust easily and successfully to managing time and organizing their "work space" to be productive in hybrid or remote only environments. These graduates will need to improve time management and organizational skills in order to be successful.
What's a good job out of college for Supply Chain Engineers?
Tracy Farrell: A "good" job out of college, in my opinion, is an entry-level position with a company that provides advancement. I would recommend that if graduates did not take advantage of internship opportunities, early and often, they will be at a disadvantage to "think they know it all" and have proven not to be as successful. Entry positions offer valuable training and teach transferable skills that can only be gained in entry-level positions (or internships) like communication skills, time management, organization, teamwork, aspects of all positions.
I strongly recommend that a graduate start interning well before they graduate. Internships can serve as "entry-level positions" providing opportunities for learning, growth, and hands-on experience they would not have otherwise. NYS high school business education programs have been offering internships for years, for credit, and many students do not take advantage of these programs.
Jason Hewitt Ph.D.
LecturerPennsylvania State University - Behrend, Erie PA
Project & Supply Chain Management
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Supply Chain Engineer job market given the pandemic?
Jason Hewitt Ph.D.: The biggest trend is a switch to online operations. Work that was forced online will most likely continue to be done there. Businesses that were forced to go online are learning there are cost advantages to keeping the work force remote. Second to that, is the need for businesses and individuals to be flexible and open to taking a different course of action at a moment's notice. Winners in the new economy will be virtual and flexible to changing their processes.
What technical skills for a Supply Chain Engineer stand out to employers?
Jason Hewitt Ph.D.: Zoom for every industry. Industry-specific software is of course important as well. Communication skills, both internally as well as customer facing, are essential in these times of uncertainty.
What's a good job out of college for Supply Chain Engineers?
Jason Hewitt Ph.D.: Anything that is related to your major, your passion, and your skill set. Building a career means taking a series of better and better positions as you gain experience in your field. Start small, but make sure it is a part of your bigger career plan.
What experience really stands out on Supply Chain Engineer resumes?
Scott Grasman Ph.D.: Graduates that have applied their classroom learning to real work experiences will differentiate themselves from others. Showing that you have particular skills, perhaps through certifications, and highlighting your specific abilities through tangible examples is critical.
In addition to a resume, students could create a portfolio of items that demonstrates their knowledge and ability.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Supply Chain Engineers?
Scott Grasman Ph.D.: Hybrid and virtual learning can be effective, but students may lack hands-on experiences in some cases. Graduates from programs that complement instruction with co-op education, and/or have been effective in creating virtual laboratories, will be more successful.
Perhaps more importantly, social dynamics have changed significantly. Students have fewer opportunities to learn from other students or to have meaningful interactions with faculty, which may cause lack of motivation or poor mentoring.
Graduates, however, may benefit from technology changes being implemented in traditional classrooms. As graduates progress in their careers they will likely pursue additional educational opportunities, many in the hybrid or virtual environment with which they have become familiar.
Dr. Kanton Reynolds Ph.D.
Director, Undergraduate Programs & Associate Teaching ProfessorNorth Carolina State University
Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Supply Chain Engineer job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Kanton Reynolds Ph.D.: In addition to the transformation into remote work, I think you will see more companies hiring consultants. This unprecedented time has allowed companies to realize that they can reconceptualize the way they do business. They can be more agile while realizing operational efficiencies that correspond well with the prevailing environment. They will lean on experts to help them recognize the value proposition in transforming their business models. You will see more companies rely on consultants as they move to new paradigms and streamline their operations. They will also want to leverage this contingent group of experts to maximize these transformation opportunities before bringing in additional talent.
Dr. Lance Sherry Ph.D.
Director, Center for Air Transportation Systems Research Assoc. Professor, System Engineering and Operations Research Dept.George Mason University
What experience really stands out on Supply Chain Engineer resumes?
Dr. Lance Sherry Ph.D.: Projects: capstone projects and summer intern projects. Not busy work but intellectual work that shows you can design, build, and test a system. This shows that the candidate really understands what it takes to do work in the real world, that the graduate can persevere, and that the graduate can overcome obstacles.
Dr. Atul Rai Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorWichita State University
School of Accountancy, Barton School of Business
What experience really stands out on Supply Chain Engineer resumes?
Dr. Atul Rai Ph.D.: Employers are looking for people who can integrate in multi-disciplinary environments to solve complex problems. They are looking for resumes that show quick learning. Such resumes will permanently be in great demand. Because the world is interconnected much more than it ever was, employees today will deal with customers, supply-chains, and fellow employees who are spread all over the world. It means that an experience that showcases the global perspective will be in demand over the long-term.
Srinivas R. Chakravarthy Ph.D.
Professor of Industrial Engineering and StatisticsKettering University
Departments of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering & Mathematics
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Supply Chain Engineers?
Srinivas R. Chakravarthy Ph.D.: Yes, without a doubt. The impact will be both positive and negative. The negatives, unfortunately, would be the (lack of) confidence in the depth and level of the materials learned during (mostly) virtual classes. Virtual classes, as is known, involve different mentality and approach in the learning process. Not all students/faculty are on the same page with regard to the absorption/coverage of the materials. This might have some consequences, initially, but eventually will fade off. So, hopefully, nothing to be overly concerned about. Another negative aspect is, in some courses, hands-on experience has been replaced with videos, and it might take additional time for the graduates to get that knowledge, should that become crucial in their workplace.
With regard to the positive impact of Covid (no pun intended), IEs, with a special background in logistics and supply chain areas will be able to offer solutions. To distribute the millions and millions of vaccines to hospitals, pharmacists, and other service providers to inoculate the citizens across the globe is a real challenge and requires modeling/simulation and strategies. IEs will have to face the challenges and opportunities, and to lead groups of various engineers and scientists across a wide spectrum.
What type of skills will young Supply Chain Engineers 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.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Supply Chain Engineers to find work opportunities?
Adrian Tan: Business skills are in great demand anywhere where there is a desire to organize human beings for productive gains. Realistically, new graduates always have to consider if they should relocate for their first jobs. This is because it is natural for business cycles to expand or contract over time in patterns that may not be in sync with the timing of new graduates entering the work force. For instance, the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic has froze certain types of jobs in businesses, but has expanded other types of jobs instead. This means that there are new opportunities being created, but these may be located in other parts of the country.
How do you envision technology impacting Supply Chain Engineers 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.
How do you envision technology impacting Supply Chain Engineers in the next 5 years?
Abe Eshkenazi: The impact of technology on the supply chain will be multi-faceted, but, overall, I see it helping us close the ever-expanding skills gap. A growing issue in industries, across the board, is a surplus of positions that go unfilled due to the lack of skilled professionals available to fill them. In fact, as of October 2019, there were 7.3 million job openings in the U.S. economy, as companies across industries have had trouble finding skilled employees.
Technology is critical for the digitization of supply chains, which will help with visibility and transparency along the supply chain. Being trained to keep up with the new logistics platforms and technology available is very much a part of why upskilling and keeping your certifications up to date is so important. The push toward adopting technology and automation creates the opportunity for employees to develop, move up, and fill more skilled positions. Instead of investing dollars recruiting and training employees for lower-skilled positions, companies can now focus on training motivated employees for the specific skills needed for more technical roles, improving productivity, raising incomes, and satisfaction levels.
Education and upskilling should be thought of like a supply chain pipeline, where you plan for your talent needs before they become critical - the demand-driven approach. By implementing this system of demand-driven education supported by technology, it allows companies to have a full view of where future shortages may lurk and plan accordingly. Businesses would have a plan for attacking the talent gap and know what to do, rather than waiting for perfectly trained applicants.
What type of skills will young Supply Chain Engineers 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 Supply Chain Engineers 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 Supply Chain Engineers 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 Supply Chain Engineers 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.