Average salary for supply chain professionals $85,210 in 2017

By JAMES HENDERSON . May 04, 2018, 6:23AM

APICS’s inaugural annual survey reveals a healthy outlook for those employed in supply chain, with wage increases and high job satisfaction reported across the profession.

Key findings reveal the average salary for supply chain professionals in 2017 was $85,210.

In addition, 90% of respondents received an average salary increase of at least 3% in 2017 and nearly all reported they are happy and likely to remain in the supply chain field.

“The data revealed in this report show that supply chain careers represent a fulfilling, dynamic and rewarding long-term career choice for professionals,” said APICS CEO Abe Eshkenazi, CSCP, CPA, CAE.

“We’re excited to see that our members are well-compensated and continuing to advance in their careers. We foresee that this success will continue as supply chain professionals continue to become a more integral part of overall business strategy.”

The survey shows that continued professional education has a large impact on the salaries of supply chain professionals. Survey respondents who indicated holding one certification reported a median salary that was 19% more than their peers without certifications.

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Respondents who earned an APICS certification reported a median salary that is 27% more than those who indicated that they did not have any certification. Certifications were also found to have a continuing career impact. Among workers with the same tenure in the field, those with an APICS certification reported higher salaries than those without one.

The survey revealed that, despite growth in compensation and job satisfaction, there still is work to do when it comes to addressing the pay gap between men and women within the field.

The key findings of the report are:

• Supply chain professionals experience high job satisfaction: When asked to rate their overall job satisfaction with working in the supply chain field overall, 96% of those surveyed reported high levels of satisfaction, with the average rating as 8.4 on a scale of 0-10. Overall, supply chain professionals are also satisfied with their current job position, reporting an average rating of 7.4.
• Tenure matters, but recent-graduates are seeing higher initial salaries: As might be expected, supply chain professionals with the highest level of tenure also receive the highest salaries. A $39,818 gap separates the average salaries of those with at least 20 years of work experience in the supply chain field and those with less than one year in the field. However, possibly due to the current demand for recent supply chain graduates, the average salary for recent graduates is slightly higher than the salary level for those with one to three years of tenure.
• Leadership roles increase salary prospects: The survey found roles that require supervision of others receive more significant compensation. Supply chain professionals who directly or indirectly supervise at least 50 individuals report an average base salary of about 82% more than those who do not supervise others; supervising even 1-4 individuals provides a 13% increase.
• The value of certification: Those who hold just one certification reported a median salary that was 19% higher than those who are not certified. Moreover, those with 2 or 3 certifications reported median salaries of 39% higher and 50% higher, respectively.
• The gender gap in supply chain: The results of the survey show that there is a pay gap between men and women in the supply chain field, and wage disparity increases with field tenure. Male respondents reported average salaries that are 15.6% higher than those reported by female respondents.