Pursuing a master’s degree is a great way to set yourself apart from others in your field. There are many degree types and specializations to choose from, so you may be wondering which is right for you. Thinking about your specific professional goals can help you make clear distinctions between your options. If you’re interested in supply chain management, you may be considering the difference between a master’s in supply chain vs. MBA. While a Master of Science in Supply Chain Management (MSSCM) and an MBA with a supply chain concentration may sound similar, each degree offers unique benefits.
Understanding the nature of the degree programs, the skills they generate, and the careers they may lead to can give you critical direction in your search for the right educational path. We’ve created this guide to shed light on those details.
The curriculum for master’s in supply chain and MBA programs do cover some similar topics. However, if you’re pursuing an MSSCM, expect a closer focus on supply chain management with coursework that explores operating practices, technology, and analysis methods with an emphasis on its technical aspects.
MSSCM degrees aim to cultivate the specific skills needed to excel in the supply chain management field. You will learn about the many elements that make up the supply chain by studying key concepts, including the following:
● Supply markets and sourcing
● Global supply chain coordination
● Logistics, operations, and procurement
● Product flow management
● Supply and demand in manufacturing
● Production planning
● Purchasing management
Additionally, courses will teach you how to:
● Use the latest technology and applications essential to supply chain processes
● Develop effective supply chain models and best practices
It takes about two years to complete most master’s in supply chain programs. However, if you take on a heavier course load, you may be able to finish in less time. As part of your degree requirements, you may also need to complete a thesis or capstone project that explores a supply chain management solution.
During your course of study, you’ll build proficiency in the following areas:
● Supply market analysis
● Fulfillment and distribution strategy
● Strategy in sourcing
● Supply chain management communication
● Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems
● Business intelligence (BI) applications
● Supply chain customization
● Inventory analysis
MBA programs offer general business administration skills alongside courses geared toward a specialized area of business, such as supply chain management. An MBA with a supply chain management concentration teaches supply chain concepts and skills while also offering a solid foundation in business concepts such as accounting, human resources, operations, and strategy.
If you choose this path, you can expect to gain an understanding of management and leadership that extends well beyond supply chain management. This may offer versatility as you climb the corporate ladder. However, your depth of knowledge about supply chain management may be more limited than that of a learner who finishes an MSSCM degree program.
An MBA with a supply chain concentration builds specialized knowledge of fundamental supply chain concepts. It also nurtures the business skills you need to apply for corporate or executive roles with training in:
● Finance
● Ethics
● Operations and supply chain management
● Accounting
● Organizational behavior
● Data analysis
● Macroeconomics and microeconomics
● Marketing
● Management
● Statistics
● Consumer behavior
Supply chain-focused electives for MBA students may include courses on strategic sourcing, global supply chain management, or transportation industries. Core curriculum courses for an MBA will also hone your competencies in:
● Problem-solving
● Communication and organization
● Teamwork
● Negotiation
While it’s possible to complete your MBA in two years, many programs tend to require more credit hours than MSSCM programs. Often, MBA programs culminate with a capstone project that gives you a chance to apply business concepts to solving a real business problem.
The preparation you receive from an MBA provides you with the skills to:
● Take on leadership roles in an organization
● Manage in diverse contexts
● Develop creative and innovative approaches and solutions
● Make sound decisions under uncertainty
From production to distribution, career paths abound in supply chain management. More than 450 million people worldwide work in the global supply chain. According to the Harvard Business Review, 37% of all domestic jobs are in the U.S. supply chain.
While many roles in the supply chain are open to applicants with just a bachelor’s degree, an advanced degree in supply chain management may open the door for senior management positions. Below, we’ll explore some potential careers in supply chain management.
Industrial production manager
Industrial production managers work in the manufacturing sector. They oversee the activities and resources needed to manufacture products, ensuring that products meet cost, quality, and quantity specifications. This involves carrying out quality control programs that identify product defects and address underlying production issues.
Other possible responsibilities include the following:
● Hiring and training workers
● Managing production schedules and budgets
● Communicating with other managers in the supply chain
● Conducting maintenance reports to locate problems and advise on solutions
Industrial production manager roles are concentrated in the following industries:
● Fabricated metal product manufacturing
● Transportation equipment manufacturing
● Chemical manufacturing
● Machinery manufacturing
● Food manufacturing
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects demand for industrial production managers to grow by 1% from 2019 to 2029.
Purchasing manager
Purchasing managers are concentrated in the manufacturing and retail sectors. They supervise purchasing officers to ensure that the products or services procured for their organization are high quality and low cost. This involves developing policies and procedures for procurement, including guidelines for meeting ethical standards.
Other responsibilities include the following:
● Hiring and training
● Contract negotiation
Purchasing manager roles are common in several major business sectors:
● Manufacturing
● Retail trade
● Professional services
● Government
● Wholesale trade
Due to outsourcing and automation, the demand for purchasing buyers and agents is projected to decline by 7% from 2019 to 2029. Despite this, the BLS projects that employment of procurement managers will actually increase by 3% during that same period.
Logistics manager
Logistics managers commonly work in warehousing and storage, as well as various areas of transportation. They oversee and direct the transportation, storage, and distribution in a supply chain. This involves coordinating the work of schedulers, planners, and logistics specialists and ensuring that all activities adhere to organizational policies and government regulations.
Other responsibilities include the following:
● Developing logistics policies and procedures
● Dealing with problems related to customer satisfaction, imports and exports, and logistics systems
The top industries for logistics manager employment include:
● Warehousing and storage
● Truck transportation
● Professional services
According to BLS data, the demand for logistics managers is projected to grow by 4% from 2019 to 2029.
Supply chain manager
Supply chain managers are crucial across industries in the wholesale trade and manufacturing sectors. These managers track materials from suppliers to consumers and develop and organize key performance indicators (KPIs) for all material requirements. Their work also involves coordinating inventory movement, storage, and processing to put products that are up to quality standards into customers’ hands.
Other responsibilities include the following:
● Maintaining the flow and storage of goods
● Proposing cost-saving measures
● Forming relationships with consumers and clients
● Ensuring a competitive advantage
The top employers of supply chain managers are:
● Manufacturing
● Federal government
● Professional, scientific, and technical services
● Wholesale trade
The BLS does not track specific job growth for supply chain managers. However, these positions fall within the logistics category, a job market expected to grow by 4% from 2019 to 2029.
You can find business administration careers in almost every industry. With the right creative skills and business acumen, the possibilities are vast, whether you’re interested in technology, consulting, or products and services.
The leadership skills and business principles taught in an MBA program may even accelerate your career path. The degree can also strengthen your professional network and give you greater access to a broad spectrum of jobs in business administration, often with lucrative paychecks.
If you choose an MBA vs. master’s in supply chain management program, the supply chain management positions mentioned above will also be open to you. However, you’ll have the additional opportunity to consider other managerial, analytical, or even entrepreneurial roles. Other careers in business administration include the following:
Management analyst
Management analysts advise organizations on how to improve their efficiency and become more profitable. This involves a close examination of a business and its operations. From there, management analysts make recommendations about cost cutting and strategies for growing revenue. Often, projects are specialized in an area of the business such as supply chain management, which requires analysis of inventory control or purchasing.
Other responsibilities include the following:
● Collecting data about specific problems
● Analyzing revenue and expenditure reports
● Coming up with new, more efficient practices
● Consulting with supervisors to ensure that changes are effective
Management analyst positions are projected to climb by 11% between 2019 and 2029. That’s more than twice the projected 4% average job growth for all occupations.
The top employers for management analysts are:
● Professional, scientific, and technical services
● Government
● Finance and insurance
Business operations manager
Business operations managers coordinate an organization’s different departments to achieve company goals. This involves supervising lower-level managers, negotiating contracts, and planning budgets.
Other responsibilities include the following:
● Creating company policy
● Hiring employees
● Making strategic decisions about the customer buying process
The BLS projects jobs for business operations managers to rise by 6% between 2019 and 2029.
Employers for business operations managers are found in several major sectors:
● Retail trade
● Professional, scientific, and technical services
● Wholesale trade
● Manufacturing
● Construction
Human resources manager
Human resources managers work to attract and retain talented employees. This involves matching qualified candidates to open positions. It also involves coordinating an organization’s recruitment, interviewing, and onboarding processes. Human resources managers plan and oversee payroll, benefits programs, and training. Additionally, human resources managers are liaisons between employees and management.
Other responsibilities include the following:
● Managing employee relations
● Dealing with staffing issues
● Handling disputes and disciplinary procedures
● Consulting with executive management about talent management
The BLS expects human resources manager positions to increase by 6% between 2019 and 2029.
The top sectors for human resources manager employment include:
● Professional, scientific, and technical services
● Retail
● Manufacturing
● Government
● Health care
Administrative services manager
Administrative services managers organize and oversee the administrative activities that allow a business to operate smoothly. This often involves coordinating mail distribution, security, record keeping, and office maintenance. Additionally, administrative services managers ensure that their company has the necessary services and supplies.
Other responsibilities include the following:
● Suggesting policy and procedural changes that can improve operations
● Creating and monitoring records
● Managing office staff
● Supervising the maintenance and repair of equipment
● Ensuring that facilities meet health, as well as other, regulations and standards
The BLS expects administrative services managers positions to grow by 6% between 2019 and 2029.
The top employers for administration services managers are in the following sectors:
● Health care
● Educational services
● Professional, scientific, and technical services
● Local government
● Finance and insurance
The invaluable role of supply chain management means organizations offer lucrative salaries to experts in the field. Below, you’ll see the 2020 median annual salaries that the BLS has reported for some of these roles:
● Logistics manager: $94,730
● Purchasing manager: $125,940
● Industrial production manager: $108,790
● Supply chain manager: $76,270
The top earners in these supply chain management careers may earn significantly more. Just like in many other fields, salary for supply chain management careers is largely dependent on experience and industry.
Careers in business management are known for their attractive compensation packages, and when the careers are coupled with an MBA, the salaries can be even higher. According to data from U.S. News & World Report and Poets&Quants, the median average salary for a U.S. citizen with an MBA was $134,991 in 2019.
According to the BLS, the following are the median annual salaries for positions that MBA graduates may qualify for. Keep in mind that these numbers do not represent top earning potential:
● Management analyst: $87,660
● Business operations manager: $103,650
● Human resources manager: $116,720
● Administration services manager: $98,890
Given that graduates of both MBA and MSSCM programs can qualify for high-salary jobs, deciding between a master’s in supply chain vs. MBA program comes down to what’s most important to you. Are you interested in finely honed supply chain technical expertise, or do you want a solid foundation in business concepts alongside specialized supply chain knowledge?
As you weigh your options and consider where each degree may lead you, your educational path will become clearer and you’ll be on the way to accelerating your career.
To learn more about degrees and to help choose the right one for you, visit our Compare Programs page, which is designed to give you the insights you’ll need to make the right decision for you.
Find your path
- AACSB, 2020 Guiding Principles and Standards for Business Accreditation
- Blume Global, The Differences Between the Supply Chain and Logistics
- Harvard Business Review, “The Supply Chain Economy and the Future of Good Jobs in America”
- Logistics Bureau, “7 Key Supply Chain Leaders’ Skills and Why You Need Them”
- PayScale, Average Supply Chain Manager Salary
- Pearson Pathways, Operations and Supply Chain Management Careers and Salary
- Pearson Pathways, Online Master of Business Administration Degree
- Pearson Pathways, Online MBA in Operations and Supply Chain Management
- Pearson Pathways, Your Path to a Career in Supply Chain Management
- Poets&Quants, “The Highest-Paid MBA Grads at the Top 25 B-Schools”
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Administrative Services and Facilities Managers
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, General and Operations Managers
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Human Resources Managers
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Industrial Production Managers
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Logisticians
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Management Analysts
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Purchasing Managers, Buyers, and Purchasing Agents
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Top Executives
- U.S. News & World Report, Business Operations Manager Overview
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