TOP COLLEGE SUPPLY CHAIN PROGRAMS

From American Shipper--

MSU and PSU top Gartner undergrad supply chain program rankings

Thursday, August 07, 2014

By Eric Johnson

   The research company Gartner this week said Michigan State University and Penn State University offer the best undergraduate supply chain programs in the United States according to research conducted into such programs.
   The report, Top U.S. Supply Chain Undergraduate University Programs, 2014, includes participation from 40 institutions.
   Among the findings in the study:

• University supply chain programs' relevance to modern supply chain organizations has improved markedly through a combination of applied course work, and more frequent and applied work experience.
• A combination of program scope, internship and co-op participation, and perceived value by industry differentiates a school's position relative to other programs.
• Supply chain undergraduate placement rates are between 85 percent to 100 percent and, in many cases, graduates are accepting higher starting salaries than finance and accounting majors.

   The report suggested supply chain companies targeting new talent aim to recruit in the fall, not the spring, “or risk the near 100-percent placement rates shutting you out of that year's candidate pool.”
   The report continued, “Prepare to pay a premium for top talent. The average starting salary for undergraduates is $53,584, and top students are commanding premiums $25,000 or more beyond this.”