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Job outlook for supply chain analysts in the United States
Supply chain analyst job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected supply chain analyst job growth rate is 28% from 2018-2028.
About 54,100 new jobs for supply chain analysts are projected over the next decade.
Supply chain analyst salaries have increased 3% for supply chain analysts in the last 5 years.
There are over 54,425 supply chain analysts currently employed in the United States.
There are 37,979 active supply chain analyst job openings in the US.
The average supply chain analyst salary is $67,450.
Are supply chain analyst jobs in demand?
Supply Chain Analyst job and salary trends over time
Supply Chain Analyst jobs over time
Supply Chain Analyst job growth rate over time
Year  | # Of Jobs | % Of Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 54,425 | 0.02% |
| 2020 | 72,092 | 0.02% |
| 2019 | 71,357 | 0.02% |
| 2018 | 49,390 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 46,290 | 0.01% |
Average supply chain analyst salary over time
Supply Chain Analyst salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $67,450 | $32.43 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $66,106 | $31.78 | +0.2% |
| 2023 | $65,973 | $31.72 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | $65,964 | $31.71 | +0.6% |
| 2021 | $65,593 | $31.53 | --0.1% |
Supply Chain Analyst jobs by state
Most common states for supply chain analysts
| Rank | State | Population | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 242 | 35% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 113 | 18% |
| 3 | Alaska | 739,795 | 92 | 12% |
| 4 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 69 | 12% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 781 | 11% |
| 6 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 152 | 11% |
| 7 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 82 | 11% |
| 8 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 850 | 10% |
| 9 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 610 | 10% |
| 10 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 531 | 10% |
| 11 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 103 | 10% |
| 12 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,155 | 9% |
| 13 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 900 | 9% |
| 14 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 636 | 9% |
| 15 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 615 | 9% |
| 16 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 511 | 9% |
| 17 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 280 | 9% |
| 18 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 98 | 9% |
| 19 | Delaware | 961,939 | 91 | 9% |
| 20 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 81 | 9% |
Most common cities for supply chain analysts
| Rank | City | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Batavia | 4 | 15% | $58,943 |
| 2 | Stamford | 7 | 5% | $64,627 |
| 3 | Atlanta | 14 | 3% | $57,014 |
| 4 | Tallahassee | 5 | 3% | $57,572 |
| 5 | Urban Honolulu | 6 | 2% | $54,614 |
| 6 | Plano | 5 | 2% | $63,516 |
| 7 | Fremont | 4 | 2% | $85,208 |
| 8 | Denver | 9 | 1% | $65,177 |
| 9 | Washington | 7 | 1% | $59,942 |
| 10 | Indianapolis | 6 | 1% | $60,395 |
| 11 | San Jose | 6 | 1% | $85,210 |
| 12 | Tampa | 5 | 1% | $57,039 |
| 13 | Boston | 4 | 1% | $67,027 |
| 14 | Orlando | 4 | 1% | $56,980 |
| 15 | Phoenix | 8 | 0% | $59,293 |
| 16 | Chicago | 7 | 0% | $59,150 |
| 17 | San Diego | 5 | 0% | $73,313 |
Supply Chain Analyst job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of supply chain analyst experts
Michigan State University
Pennsylvania State University - Behrend, Erie PA
Pennsylvania State University - New Kensington
ASCM
Mr. Supply Chain
What general advice would you give to a Supply Chain Analyst?
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 Analyst 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 Analysts 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.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Supply Chain Analysts?
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 Analysts?
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 Analysts 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 Chain Analyst 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 Analyst 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 Analysts?
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 Chain Analysts 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 Analysts 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 Analysts 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 Analysts 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 Analysts 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 Analysts 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 Analysts 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 Analysts 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.