Throughout history, California has been the destination of many a journey. Hippies, prospectors, and tech giants alike have all made the pilgrimage – and ultimately made California home. But today, California isn’t just a destination. It’s a gateway to the American economy.
About 40% of America’s shipping container imports hit our shores by way of California seaports. California’s railways move more international freight than any other state’s, while 15 airports with major cargo operations handle millions of tons of cargo every year.
All in all, about $659 billion worth of outbound shipments pass through California every year, making it one of the biggest economic hubs in the world.
California is THE place for a career in SCM and logistics.
However, today’s supply chain professionals need a more well-rounded and well-developed set of skills than ever before. They must be able to navigate disasters of all kinds, shave days and dollars off global trade routes, and maintain a steady pace in the extremely competitive e-commerce-driven market.
With an MBA in Supply Chain Management and Logistics, you can learn those exact skills. And if you live in California, you won’t have to go far to find the right one for you.
Shipping, 3PL, and More: Supply Chain Career Options in the Golden State
With an MBA in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, you can work for organizations in just about any industry. Retail, medical supply, consumer tech, and construction companies all have entire teams dedicated to sourcing materials and shipping to customers.
You’ll find plenty of that in California. But on top of those opportunities, you’ll have the unique chance to get in with some of the biggest logistics companies in the world.
Around the major seaports like the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, you’ll find international leviathans like Maersk and MSC. While their names are emblazoned across shipping containers and cargo ships all over the world, these firms typically offer specialty services like e-commerce management and medical supply shipping, too. In this sphere, some of your potential employers have been around for centuries, slowly expanding their reach by absorbing smaller, more localized firms along the way.
However, in today’s economy, most companies don’t manage their supply chains themselves. Instead, they rely on third-party logistics (3PL) firms — and California is home to thousands of them.
For example, in addition to handling their own orders, Amazon also offers 3PL services to retailers of all sizes. Currently, there are almost 200 Amazon fulfillment centers, warehouses, logistics centers, and more in California. FedEx and UPS both have multiple shipping and logistics centers in the Golden State, too.
But the California logistics market isn’t just made up of household names. 3PL industry leaders like CH Robinson, JB Hunt, and Ryder all have big operations in the Golden State. Sometimes, they even partner with smaller, more regionalized firms to get products from port to porch. So whether you want to handle massive corporate accounts or help local business owners, there are plenty of logistics firms in California that rely heavily on business leaders with the combination of acumen and hard skills that come with an MBA in Logistics and Supply Chain Management.
Job Growth Projections and Salary Expectations in California with an MBA in Logistics and SCM
With so many key players around, it’s no wonder California has one of the biggest and fastest growing supply chain sectors in the country. On a national level, Projections Central reports that employment for transportation, storage, and distribution managers is expected to grow by about 8% by 2032. But in California, this sector is expected to grow by almost 13% in the same time frame.
While that may not sound like a lot, 13% growth is equivalent to an average of over 3,000 job openings for supply chain management professionals in California every single year over a ten-year time horizon.
When you look at salary potential, the outlook is just as good.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), transportation, storage, and distribution managers in California make an average salary of $119,250. That’s almost $10,000 higher than the national average.
But if you’re eyeing an MBA in Supply Chain Management, your salary expectations are going to be a bit higher than average. The BLS says the highest-earning supply chain professionals in California earn salaries that start at $195,780 – and that’s before bonuses.
Some make even more than that, especially those that work in major port cities. For example, transportation, storage, and distribution managers in the San Jose and Port of Redwood City area make the highest average salary in the nation at $178,570. While your own salary expectations may vary, that’s a pretty good indication of how far you can go with an MBA in Supply Chain Management.
MBA in Supply Chain Management Programs in California: Curriculum and Options
Because California has such a big logistics sector, you’ll find supply chain management degree concentrations are common among California business schools that offer MBA programs.
Each MBA in Supply Chain Management program is a little different, but you’ll typically take classes on topics like:
- Supply chain analysis and strategy
- Risk assessment
- Negotiation
- Global economics
- Warehousing, transportation, and distribution system management
- Client relationship management
Beyond courses in the logistics and SCM concentration, it’s still an MBA, so the core curriculum will have you diving deep on general business leadership skills – everything from communication to accounting to business intelligence to personnel management. These skills will come in handy as you climb the ladder and have a bigger role in organizational management and strategic decision-making.
Curriculum Variations
While the core curriculum of most SCM MBAs is similar, it’s by no means identical across the board.
For example, California State University-San Bernardino offers an MBA in Global Supply Chain Management that focuses on the international side of things. On the other hand, the University of California- San Diego allows MBA students to earn a certificate in Supply Excellence and Innovation. This program features classes on information technology, financial management, and other topics that could prove useful if you want to pivot into the c-suite later.
In a similar fashion, California’s business schools offer Supply Chain MBAs in online and hybrid formats. If you’re already working long hours, think about earning an online MBA in Supply Chain Management from a school like DeVry or National University, both of which are designed for working students. If you need a little more hands-on experience, the University of San Diego has a hybrid MBA program that combines a few in-person weekend classes with a largely online class schedule.
MBA in Supply Chain Management Online and at Campus Locations in California
With an overview of your career and degree options in your back pocket, it’s time to start exploring. Whether you’re looking for an affordable yet in-depth MBA program or an exclusive education at a competitive business school, you’ll find it all in the following list of MBA programs that offer supply chain management concentrations in California.
University of California-Riverside
School of Business
Riverside, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Operations and Supply Chain Management
University of California-San Diego
Rady School of Management
San Diego, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration with a Certificate in Supply Excellence and Innovation
California State University, East Bay
College of Business and Economics
Hayward, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Operations and Supply Chain Management
California State University, San Bernardino
Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration
San Bernardino, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Global Supply Chain Management
California State University, Long Beach
College of Business
Long Beach, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Supply Chain Management
California State University, Fullerton
College of Business and Economics
Fullerton, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Supply Chain Management
California State University, Los Angeles
College of Business and Economics
Los Angeles, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Supply Chain Management
California State University, San Marcos
College of Business Administration
San Marcos, CA
AACSB
Specialized Master of Business Administration in Supply Chain Management
University of Southern California
Marshall School of Business
Los Angeles, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Supply Chain Management
Claremont Graduate University
Drucker School of Management
Claremont, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Supply Chain Management
University of San Diego
Knauss School of Business
San Diego, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Supply Chain Management
University of La Verne
College of Business
La Verne, CA
WASC (regional)
Master of Business Administration in Supply Chain Management
DeVry University
Keller Graduate School of Management
Online with campuses in Long Beach, Newark, Ontario, San Diego, San Jose, and Encino, CA
ACBSP
Master of Business Administration in Global Supply Chain Management
National University
Online with campuses in San Diego, Fresno, Oxnard, Sacramento, San Jose, and Los Angeles, CA
ACBSP (online), IACBE (campus)
Master of Business Administration in Supply Chain Management
2023 US Bureau of Labor Statistics and Projections Central salary and employment figures for logisticians and transportation, storage, and distribution managers reflect national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed January 2025.