Key Information:
- Middle Georgia State University and University of Washington — Seattle are top affordable bachelors in supply chain management.
- These programs cover key areas of supply chain management, including logistics, procurement, and operations management.
- Graduates are prepared for various roles in the supply chain field, such as logistics managers, procurement specialists, and operations analysts.
Many students today are paying their own way through school, and that’s especially true of working adults in the supply chain and logistics field, so finding an affordable supply chain management degree can make a big difference.
There are many different ways to save money on a supply chain management degree. From looking for a cheaper university supply chain management degree program to applying for scholarships and grants, you have options that will help you defray the costs of your education. It’s important to find a degree that meets your educational needs. Once you know how much it will cost, you can begin looking for ways to pay for it. Many students choose to enroll in online degree programs so they can find a job while they are finishing their education.
You should also check into smaller regional colleges and community colleges. They are sometimes cheaper than the larger universities. If you are already working, talking to your employer about an employer reimbursement program is also an option. Even though you may have to pay for your education upfront, all you need to do is successfully pass each course and your employer will reimburse you for all of your fees and educational expenses.
Methodology: Ranking the Most Affordable Supply Chain Management Degree Programs
The Bachelor’s Degree Center ranking of the most affordable supply chain management degree programs presents programs in order of tuition rate, based on current IPEDS data. However, students want to know their degree will pay off, so we feature only accredited, trusted colleges and universities.
1. Middle Georgia State University
Middle Georgia State University offers a BS in Aviation — Logistics Management that prepares students to engage in strategic planning to move goods from one location to the other, storage of inventories during their transportation, and delivering the goods to the customer. Classes include Supply Chain Management, Transportation, Application of Technology in Logistics, Human Factors, Regulations, and more. Students who live in Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee can apply for an out-of-state waiver to pay tuition at an in-state rate.
Middle Georgia State University is located in Macon, Georgia, and is a public university that’s part of the University System of Georgia. It offers professional certificates, associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees through its 17 departments spread across six schools. The school’s sports teams participate in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and in the Southern States Athletics Conference (SSAC).
Degree: BS in Aviation — Logistics Management
Middle Georgia State University
2. University of Washington — Seattle
The Department of Information Systems & Operations Management at the University of Washington offers a BABA in Operations and Supply Chain Management to all undergraduates and offers three curriculums including one in Operations and Supply Chain Management (OSCM). The objective of the OSCM program is to teach students how to use an analytical and empirical approach to solving problems faced by the supply chain industry. Undergraduates can select the OSCM program to incorporate into their business degree. Students engage in classes that include project management, business analytics, inventory and supply chain management, and more.
The University of Washington (UW or Washington) is a public flagship research university with a space-grant and sea-grant affiliation among others. It has a Carnegie Classification of “R1: Doctoral Universities — Very high research activity”. The school is well known for its research in the health, engineering and scientific fields along with its highly competitive computer science, engineering, and business schools. Its athletics teams participate in the NCAA Division I FBS — Pac-12 division.
Degree: BABA in Operations and Supply Chain Management
3. University of Texas at Dallas
The University of Texas at Dallas offers a BS in Supply Chain Management through the Naveen Jindal School of Management. The program is considered as a source of graduates who go on to work as great problem-solvers in the industry, and is ranked at 15 on the U.S. News & World Report undergraduate business program rankings. Students engage in an education that instructs them in the art of problem-solving techniques in a wide range of positions in the supply chain industry. Some topics students learn about include supply chain management information systems, Lean and Six Sigma processes, purchasing and contract management, global logistics and inventory management, and more.
The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) is the largest university in The University of Texas System, and began as a research division of Texas Instruments. The school has a Carnegie Classification of “Highest Research Activity” and features research in Space Science, Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Cybersecurity, Bioengineering and more. The school’s athletics teams participate in the NCAA Division III — American Southwest Conference and also features an Esports program.
Degree: BS in Supply Chain Management
University of Texas at Dallas
4. Murray State University
Murray State University offers a BSB in Logistics and Supply Chain Management through its Arthur J. Bauernfeld College of Business. The program prepares students to coordinate and manage the flow of materials, supplies, products and information among different organizations involved in a supply chain. Students follow a course of study that combines core business classes as they relate to the field of supply chain management. Successful completion of the program will qualify students to work in careers such as logistics manager, operations manager, supply chain manager, and logistics analyst.
Murray State University (MSU) is a public research university located in Murray, Kentucky. It features a space-grant affiliation and offers undergraduate certificates, associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, graduate certificates, master’s degrees and specialist programs, and doctoral degree programs. MSU has multiple colleges offering educations in science, engineering, agriculture, technology, nursing, business and more. Its athletics teams participate in the NCAA Division I — OVC conference.
Degree: BSB in Logistics and Supply Chain Management
5. University of West Florida
The University of West Florida offers a BSBA in Supply Chain Logistics Management that prepares students to work in the complex world of global supply chain and logistics management. The program teaches students the core knowledge they need to understand and comprehend their role as a supply chain and logistics manager. Coursework is designed to expose students to topics such as logistics strategy, freight forwarding, intermodal logistics, export freight management and more. Students also engage in collaborations with professionals who work in industries such as beverage distribution, manufacturing, port management and more for an insight into how real-world logistics managers do their work.
The University of West Florida (UWF) is a public university and is part of the State University System of Florida. The school features a space-grant affiliation and overs over 110 certificates, minors, majors, and graduate programs throughout its five colleges. The school has a strong research component and has a program to send students abroad in search of information. The school’s athletic teams participate in the NCAA Division II — Gulf South division.
Degree: BSBA in Supply Chain Logistics Management
6. Purdue University
The Krannert School of Management at Purdue University offers a BS in Supply Chain Information and Analytics designed for students who are interested in solving problems and want to make a career out of it. Students learn how to handle the collection of data and how to analyze it in use of creating greater efficiencies in logistics. Upon graduation, students will have expertise in supply chains and operations and their management. An international experience is available for students who want to learn more about global supply chains and analytics.
Purdue University is the flagship campus of the Purdue University system and features a sea-grant and space-grant affiliation. It holds a Carnegie Classification of “R1: Doctoral Universities — Very high research activity.” Its alumni have gone on to earn prestigious awards including Nobel laureates, Turing Award, Pulitzer Prize, National Medal of Technology and Innovation, Presidential Medal of Freedom, and many have gone on to hold political office. The school’s athletic teams participate in the NCAA Division 1 — Big Ten conference.
Degree: BS in Supply Chain Information and Analytics
7. University of North Carolina at Charlotte
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte offers a BSBA in Operations and Supply Chain Management through its Belk College of Business. The BSBA degree program teaches students how to use information and resources to ensure the delivery of goods and supplies from point A to point B and beyond. Students gain skills and knowledge in the areas of operations and supply chain technology, manage day-to-day operations, scheduling equipment and personnel, manage inventory, and work with suppliers. Upon graduation, students are qualified to work as security supervisors, risk analysts, quality control officer, inventory manager, materials controller, and more.
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) is a public research university and is part of the University of North Carolina System. It has a Carnegie Classification of “R2: Doctoral Universities — High research activity”. The school offers 79 bachelor’s, 66 master’s, and 24 doctoral degree programs. The school enrolls about 62,000 students each academic semester, and is the second-largest school in the system in terms of enrollment. The school’s athletic teams participate in the NCAA Division I — C‑USA.
Degree: BSBA in Operations and Supply Chain Management
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
8. University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
The College of Business at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater offers an Economics BBA in Supply Chain and Operations Management program that teaches students how to employ industry technology, how to plan, solve problems, and communicate. Students have the option to tailor their degree and their emphases in the area of supply chain and operations management in areas that include project management, logistics analytics, and global sourcing. The program offers internships, career services, and the program has a 100% placement rate for students within six months of graduation.
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is pat of the University of Wisconsin System, and offers 47 undergraduate degrees and 13 graduate programs. It enrolls around 12,000 students each academic year who are in pursuit of a degree from one of the six colleges on campus. The colleges include: College of Arts and Communication, College of Business and Economics, College of Education and Professional Studies, College of Letters and Sciences, College of Integrated Studies, and the School of Graduate Studies.
Degree: BBA in Supply Chain and Operations Management
University of Wisconsin Whitewater
9. Indiana University — Bloomington
The Kelly School of Business at Indiana University — Bloomington offers a BSB — Operations or Supply Chain Management degree concentration in the Operations & Decisions Technologies department. Students are required to declare a major in either Operations Management or Supply Chain Management, but are not allowed to declare them in conjunction with one another. The program is a 21 credit hour major and courses are taken at the 300/400 levels. Both concentrations prepare students to work in the supply chain field, but each concentration has a different focus in terms of the type of employment a graduate will seek out.
Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington or IU) is the flagship campus of the Indiana public university system and is known for its research activities. It has a Carnegie Classification of “R1: Doctoral Universities — Very high research activity”, and has a space-grant affiliation. Alumni and staff at the school include nine Nobel laureates, 17 Rhodes scholars, 17 Marshall Scholars, and five MacArthur fellows. The schools sports teams participate in the NCAA Division I — Big Ten conference.
Degree: BSB — Operations and Supply Chain Management
10. East Carolina University
East Carolina University offers a BS in Industrial Distribution and Logistics program that combines experience in a lab setting with classroom education to prepare students to work effectively as a supply chain manager. Students who successfully complete the program will be prepared to step into an industry that’s in need of trained professionals with a broad base of skills. The Industrial Distribution Simulation Laboratory gives students hands-on experience with solving problems that are similar to ones they will face in a real-world setting. Topics covered by the course include supply chain management, warehousing, industrial sales, inventory management, strategic pricing and purchasing.
East Carolina University (ECU) is a public research university and is the fourth largest university in North Carolina. It features a Carnegie Classification of “R2: Doctoral Universities — High research activity” and a sea-grant affiliation. The school offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees. ECU is home to four historically black sororities, five historically black fraternities, one Native American fraternity, and one Native American sorority. The athletics teams participate in the NCAA Division I (FBS) — The American Athletic Conference.
Degree: BS in Industrial Distribution and Logistics
Can I Get a Supply Chain Management Degree for Free?
You can get a supply chain management degree for free if you know what scholarships and grants to apply for. Scholarships and grants are offered to students who meet the eligibility requirements. Many universities offer scholarships for students who fall into specific guidelines. Grants are normally offered by larger organizations or corporations to students who are able to meet strict criteria and are willing to commit to their education.
Another way to get your education for free is to have your employer pay for it. By working with your employer to develop an employer reimbursement program, you will be able to earn your degree at little to no cost to you. While you will have to pay your tuition and fees up front, you will be reimbursed for those expenses once you complete each course and provide your employer with your transcript that shows you passed successfully. There may be a few expenses you must pay for on your own, but the majority of your education will be covered.
What are Some Entry-Level Jobs in Supply Chain Management?
Supply chain management involves many different types of work. Transportation jobs such as dispatching, logistics, and delivery services are all important. Many of these occupations have entry-level positions that will allow you to get a job and start to learn the ropes and gain the experience you will need to keep moving forward. With many online degree programs, you can continue to work and go to school at the same time. This gives you the flexibility to take new employment opportunities as they come along.
Shipping and receiving positions are sometimes considered to be entry-level, but you will have more of an opportunity for advancement. Shipping and receiving allows you to learn the more intricate operations that take place prior to a shipment being transported. It involves filling the orders, loading and unloading, as well as being responsible for the various types of paperwork that is involved with transporting different types of products. Learning this side of the supply chain business is essential if you want to be successful.
How Much Can I Make Right Out of School?
If you have been working in an entry-level position, earning a Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management will allow you to earn between $60,000 and $80,000, depending on the level of experience you bring to the table. If you have been attending school online and working at the same time, the experience you gain will be extremely valuable. It can make the difference between starting at the low end of the scale or being offered a much higher wage.
As part of your wages, you may be offered profit-sharing options or bonuses at the end of the year. By completing a supply chain management degree program, you will be able to move ahead faster and stay ahead of the crowd who are looking to advance. The more education and experience you have, the better off you will be. Returning to school to complete your education is an option that will serve you well over time. Even if you have a Bachelor’s degree, there is still much more you can learn to help you get ahead. A certification program will help you learn new technological advancements that will benefit you at your current job. It may even give you a boost in terms of new opportunities.
Related Rankings:
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