Editor’s Choice: Our Top Picks for the Best MBA Programs in Supply Chain Management

They are also available in all kinds of different specializations. Since executives in most organizations run departments that require specific understanding of a particular function, MBAs have evolved to support them.

Supply chain management is one of those functions. MBAs with a supply chain or logistics specialization take the general business administration education and build on it with additional coursework in transportation systems and storage, in supplier diversification and contract negotiation, and in forecasting and operations management.

Put together all those skills, and you get a ticket that can lead to the very top of the biggest companies. Your combination of business acumen and supply chain mastery can take you right out of supply chain organizations and into senior management.

But it takes more than just the average MBA program to get you there. That’s why finding the very best should be at the top of your to-do list.

How We Identified the Crème de la Crème of Supply Chain Management MBAs in the United States

There are a lot of MBA programs in the United States today, over 1,000 according to a 2019 analysis by the Wall Street Journal.

Not all of those offer a supply chain management concentration, however. And of those, only a few have the right combination of factors to put them on our top list.

What are those factors?

Instructors With Both Academic and Professional Expertise in Supply Chain Management

One thing that differentiates MBAs from many master’s programs is an intensive focus on current business conditions and trends out in the real world. That means it’s critical to get your instruction from professors who have recent, active experience in a going business operation.

But you need the best of both worlds—they should also have deep academic expertise and broad research skills. You want to be learning from people whose journal articles are must-reads, whose phone numbers are in the contact list for top consultants and executives.

These schools check that box, with expert instructors who not only know the supply chain business, but who also make it their business to ensure you come out of their classes prepared for every challenge and eventuality that could come your way.

A Sterling Reputation in the Supply Chain Business

Sometimes it seems like reputation is everything in business education. When interviewers spot names like Harvard or Wharton on a resume, your stock instantly goes up.

But there are good reasons for that. Reputation wraps up all these other elements and ties them together. It’s the sum of what the business community perceives your value to be. That’s powerful not just because of what it can do for your career, but also what it says about the training you’ll get.

So, we looked for schools that make hiring committees sit up and take notice. They frequently make the lists of third-part evaluators like U.S. News & World Report. And they have accomplished alumni scattered all over the industry who can put in a word for you when you join them.

Strong Connections to Relevant Supply Chain Organizations

That abundance of accomplished alums fits in with the next criteria, too. With experiential learning being an essential part of supply chain management career preparation, you want those experiences to happen in reputable companies and relevant industries.

That means close ties to active supply chain organizations that offer training opportunities in your specialty are essential. This doesn’t just open up chances for you to get relevant real-world experience. It also allows you to make valuable contacts who will be able to offer mentoring and advice as you find your feet. It also ensures that the education you are getting is truly state-of-the-art in your field.

Effective Academic Support and Counseling

An MBA has such a fearsome reputation in part because it’s not easy to earn one. That’s particularly true in these tough, high-stakes programs. An MBA from these schools has extra value because it was hard to get. You must prove yourself daily in these programs.

But fortunately, you don’t have to do it all on your own. We picked programs that give you all the tools you need to be successful. No matter how demanding your coursework is, these are places where academic support and counseling is always on tap to help you through it. Someone is available to explain hard concepts; guidance is offered in putting together the right schedule of classes.

Offering the Information You Need to Find Your Personal Top Pick Among MBA Degrees in Supply Chain Management

Naturally, you’re going to look at a lot more factors than these in your choice of supply chain MBA degrees. Your career is unique, and you’ll have a unique set of requirements and decisions to make along the way. Even the most elite MBA degree isn’t going to be worthwhile if it doesn’t match all the dozens of details that are important to you.

So, although we built the list based on general indicators of quality in supply chain management and business education, we’re giving you all the data you need to dive into the details.

That includes information such as: