Which Are the Best Supply Chain Management Schools in California
Looking to get a supply chain management degree in California? Let’s help you find the best schools for it.
Every business requires proper planning for the production and distribution of its goods and services. These affairs are handled by the supply chain management and logistics department, which is run by capable people.
However, these capable people need to be formally educated or experienced in the field of supply chain management to deliver. Considering California is the most-populated U.S. state, there’s no wonder it has more than 17000 job openings for supply chain management as of this writing.
So, which is the best school for logistics and supply chain degree in California? Is this degree worth going for? And what sort of job opportunities and salaries can you expect? Let’s find out.
Why Enroll In Supply Chain Management?
A career choice can be a difficult thing to grasp and understand. It requires the person to thoroughly consider all options, but it usually comes down to the number of jobs they can find and the amount they’ll be paid.
So, salary and job outlook are two of the most important things that a lot of logistics and supply chain management degree students look for when looking to enroll in specific business school degrees. And the reason a lot of them pick supply chain management lately is that:
- It allows them to work in various types of industries;
- It has an abundance of job opportunities;
- The entry barrier is usually quite low;
- Opportunities for affordable degrees;
- And the potential to work around the globe.
And that’s why a career in supply chain management appears as one of the most lucrative choices for students today.
Top 5 Best Supply Chain Management Schools In California
Understanding the importance of supply chain in California aside, it’s important to find the right school to reap all the rewards of this field. So, without further ado, let’s talk about five of the best school of logistics and supply chain management in the Golden State:
1. California State University Long Beach – Long Beach, California
California State University Long Beach is located on the beautiful coastal city in Southern California. However, it’s not the location and scenic settlement of this university that you should revere—instead, it’s the two great supply chain management university programs in California that it provides:
The first program, i.e., the BSBA or Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, has a concentration in Supply Chain Management. It’s an outstanding program that teaches you all the intricacies of business as well as supply chain and logistics.
Then, you have the Master of Science n Supply Chain Management, but you’ll have to be a graduate to take this course. However, you don’t necessarily need to be of a supply chain background as long as you meet the prerequisites for this master’s program. That’s why it’s perhaps the best supply chain management school in California today.
2. California State University – Fullerton, California
California State University in Fullerton is one of the many institutions in the CSU system. It’s located in the calm and beautiful Fullerton and widely thought of as one of the best universities in the CSU system, and that’s because of programs like these:
The B.A. in Operations and Supply Chain Management is one of the best options, as it’s also a Business Administration degree with a concentration in the supply chain with targeted courses such as:
- Purchasing and Supply Management
- Quality Management
- Supply Chain Management
- Project Management
And then, you have the MBA in Supply Chain, which will make you a master of business administration and focus on related courses like Supply Chain Analytics, Management of Information in the Corporate Environment, Supply Chain Management, and Project Management.
3. University of California, Riverside Extension – Riverside, California
The University of California, usually called the UCR Riverside Extension, is located in Riverside, California. Now, this university makes it a bit more unique and provides exclusive but accredited supply chain management degree programs.
The UCR administration refers to this as OSCM (Operations and Supply Chain Management); however, the degrees fall under the business administration category, and they are called:
- B.S. in Business Administration – Concentration in Operations & Supply Chain Management
- MBA with a Concentration in Operations & Supply Chain Management
The B.S. in OSCM will help you understand all the important factors in the supply chain in the modern era. This management curriculum has some of the best supply chain management courses you can find in any university. Besides that, you can top it off with a master’s plan at this university, as it also offers some of the best core courses for supply and logistics management.
4. University of San Diego – San Diego, California
The University of San Diego is one of the leading accredited supply chain management schools in California and one with some of the best programs in the entire state. It’s known for being one of the top universities but still being affordable and lenient. Besides that, it provides outstanding programs such as:
The B.A. is available as both a major and minor in supply chain management, with a great curriculum on both sides. The degree courses include:
- Introduction to Supply Chain Management
- Global Purchasing and Supply Management
- Sustainable Global Supply Chain Management
- Supply Chain Analytics
And after that, you can pursue the MSSCM or Masters in Supply Chain Management. But, once again, you don’t need to be a supply chain graduate to enroll in the master’s program.
5. Sacramento State University – Sacramento, California
Sacramento State is another university under the CSUN system, but it acts as a singular body and is considered the premier university in the CSUN system. However, it lacks a master’s program but offers one of the best bachelor’s programs for supply chain hopefuls:
This program, much like other ones on this list, is also a supply chain concentration in Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. It has some of the key supply chain-related courses, which are:
- Marketing Research and Information
- Principles of Quality Management
- Supply Chain Logistics Management
- Marketing Management
- Advanced Operations Planning and Control
These fundamentals of the supply chain will prepare you for any challenges in this industry. Besides that, the global approach of the supply chain degree program in California gives you a lot of potential to work globally in this field.
California Supply Chain Management Employment Rate and Salaries
Before you go and take up a supply chain management degree in California, let’s talk about the salaries and job outlook in the Golden State. According to BLS, California has the most jobs per 1000 people in the supply chain.
It stands at around 1.52 jobs per 1000 people with around 25,000 employees as of this writing. Moreover, the annual mean wage for people supply chain in California is around $88,000—higher than any other state in the United States.
As for the job outlook, BLS predicts supply chain management to yield more than 54,100 jobs or around 28 percent growth in 2031.
Conclusion
The best supply chain management program for you is the one you can afford and the one nearest to you. There are plenty of universities in California that provide supply chain bachelor, master, or associate degrees online, so you can look into that too. Regardless of which path you choose to take, it’s important to remember that this is one of the most lucrative industries you can step into today.
