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Job outlook for supply planners in the United States
Supply planner job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected supply planner job growth rate is 28% from 2018-2028.
About 54,100 new jobs for supply planners are projected over the next decade.
Supply planner salaries have increased 3% for supply planners in the last 5 years.
There are over 22,970 supply planners currently employed in the United States.
There are 39,798 active supply planner job openings in the US.
The average supply planner salary is $70,602.
Are supply planner jobs in demand?
Supply planner job and salary trends over time
Supply planner jobs over time
Supply planner job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 22,970 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 24,973 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 24,762 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 20,775 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 19,583 | 0.01% |
Average supply planner salary over time
Supply planner salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $70,602 | $33.94 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $69,195 | $33.27 | +0.2% |
| 2023 | $69,056 | $33.20 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | $69,046 | $33.20 | +0.6% |
| 2021 | $68,658 | $33.01 | --0.1% |
Supply planner jobs by state
Most common states for supply planners
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 133 | 19% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 75 | 12% |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 140 | 10% |
| 4 | Alaska | 739,795 | 69 | 9% |
| 5 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 51 | 9% |
| 6 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 421 | 8% |
| 7 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 62 | 8% |
| 8 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 583 | 7% |
| 9 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 496 | 7% |
| 10 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 493 | 7% |
| 11 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 457 | 7% |
| 12 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 398 | 7% |
| 13 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 366 | 7% |
| 14 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 265 | 7% |
| 15 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 226 | 7% |
| 16 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 219 | 7% |
| 17 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 78 | 7% |
| 18 | Delaware | 961,939 | 71 | 7% |
| 19 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 57 | 7% |
| 20 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 256 | 6% |
Most common cities for supply planners
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dubuque | 14 | 24% | $42,281 |
| 2 | Moline | 9 | 21% | $46,382 |
| 3 | Waterloo | 2 | 3% | $42,129 |
| 4 | Dania Beach | 1 | 3% | $53,208 |
| 5 | Cupertino | 1 | 2% | $105,555 |
| 6 | Marietta | 1 | 2% | $51,979 |
| 7 | Lake Forest | 1 | 1% | $93,707 |
| 8 | Chicago | 3 | 0% | $47,307 |
| 9 | Baltimore | 2 | 0% | $87,962 |
| 10 | San Jose | 2 | 0% | $105,349 |
| 11 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $51,945 |
| 12 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $71,678 |
| 13 | Denver | 1 | 0% | $66,699 |
| 14 | Gilbert | 1 | 0% | $72,424 |
| 15 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $95,482 |
Supply Planner job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of supply planner experts
Michigan State University
Pennsylvania State University - Behrend, Erie PA
Pennsylvania State University - New Kensington
Mr. Supply Chain
What general advice would you give to a Supply Planner?
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.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Supply Planners?
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 Planners?
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 Planners 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
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 Planner 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 Planner 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 Planners?
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 type of skills will young Supply Planners 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 Planners 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 Planners 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.