APICS Supply Chain Certification: What It Is and How to Get It

Supply chain management is crucial to today’s global and interconnected economy. It focuses on improving efficiency, productivity, and customer satisfaction by overseeing the flow of goods and services, from sourcing raw materials to delivering finished products.

As a result, many jobs in this field offer competitive salaries and positive job outlooks. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), transportation, storage, and distribution managers earned a median annual salary of $99,200 in 2023, and employment for these professionals is projected to grow by 9% from 2023 to 2033, which is more than double the average projected rate for all occupations.

One way to improve your career prospects in this field is by earning an American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS) supply chain certification. These can demonstrate you have the skills and knowledge to understand key supply chain processes, like logistics and inventory management.

Explore our guide to learn more about APICS supply chain certifications and how to get one.

APICS is one of the leading organizations in supply chain management education and certification. It offers a range of credentials such as Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) and Certified in Planning and Inventory Management (​​CPIM).

These certifications can teach you valuable skills in sales and operations planning, supply and demand, sourcing products, and logistics. Additionally, they are widely recognized throughout the industry, so they can help enhance your career prospects.

You can prepare for them by purchasing an APICS Learning System exam prep for your desired certification directly from the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM) website.

For those looking to obtain CSCP certification, for example, you can purchase the CSCP Learning System, which includes study books, practice exams, and the CSCP Exam Content Manual (ECM). It costs $1,420 for members and $1,975 for nonmembers and members without a certification upgrade add-on. However, you can purchase a bundle that includes the CSCP Learning System, the CSCP exam itself, and one year of membership with certification upgrade add-on for $2,565.

You can also consider enrolling in courses offered by APICS-recognized instructors or schools like Fox Valley Technical College.

APICS offers several certifications related to important sectors of supply chain management. These include CPIM, CSCP, Certified in Logistics, Transportation, and Distribution (CLTD), and Certified in Transformation for Supply Chain (CTSC).

To earn these certifications, you’ll need to pass an exam. APICS suggests dedicating at least 100 hours to studying to increase your chances of success. The exam itself takes about 3.5 hours and consists of multiple-choice questions.

Below we’ll discuss these certifications so you can assess which one is the best fit for your career goals.

The CPIM certification focuses on supply chains and strategy, sales and operations planning, supply and demand, and inventory management. This certification can demonstrate to employers your competency across all functions of the supply chain and that you know how to effectively manage risks.

The CSCP certification covers topics such as supply chain design, demand management, supply chain risks, and sourcing products. This certification can help you demonstrate your understanding of the global supply chain, all the way from sourcing the products to distributing them to consumers.

A CLTD certification can showcase your expertise in logistics to employers. The certification process covers topics around logistics fundamentals, capacity planning and demand management, order management, inventory management, warehouse management, transportation management, global logistics, logistics network design, and sustainability and reverse logistics. This broad coverage ensures you’re well versed in addressing various logistics challenges and meeting customer demands.

The CTSC certification focuses on identifying risks and opportunities to transform and improve supply chain systems. This certification is particularly suited for supply chain professionals who are currently assisting, supporting, initiating, or executing transformation initiatives within their organizations.

Supply chain management can be a lucrative career. For example, Payscale data from January 2025 reports an average annual salary of $90,550 for supply chain managers. An APICS certification can further improve your career prospects and increase your earning potential.

An APICS certification may be a good choice for a working professional looking to further their supply chain career with a recognizable credential. These certifications are typically quicker to earn than a traditional degree and are globally respected.

Jobs in supply chain management can span across several industries, including government, manufacturing, wholesale trade, and technical services. Some of the most common roles include: