What Are the Top Schools for Transportation and Distribution?
Explore the typical characteristics of top programs in transportation and distribution. Read about three schools with top programs in this field, based on their national rankings. Find out what degree programs each school offers in the transportation and distribution field.
What Are Some Characteristics of Top Transportation and Distribution Schools?
Interdisciplinary programs that could prepare you for a transportation, distribution, logistics or warehouse management career are commonly housed in a university's engineering or business school. They might offer study abroad, internship or co-op programs. Schools may also house research institutes where you can work with businesses to solve real-world problems.
What Are Three Top Schools for Transportation and Distribution?
The Ohio State University (OSU) in Columbus
OSU tied for 56th in the U.S. News & World Report National Universities Rankings, as of 2019. The university also tied for third among undergraduate supply chain management/logistics programs and ranked sixth among schools with graduate supply chain management programs for 2019 (www.usnews.com).
The Fisher College of Business offers an undergraduate specialization in logistics with three business honors program options. You might also study the emerging markets in Panama, green business in Costa Rica or European market in Nantes, France.
In the master's degree program, you'll help a corporation design logistics solutions during two field study courses. Fisher also sponsors the Global Supply Chain Forum, an applied research consortium of business leaders and academics who address corporate challenges. These degrees are available:
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration - Logistics
- Master of Business Logistics Engineering
Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN
Purdue tied for 56th in the U.S. News & World Report National Universities Rankings, as of 2019. It was eighth among undergraduate supply chain management and logistics programs in 2019.
As an undergraduate, you could pursue the Bachelor of Science in Industrial Distribution through Purdue's College of Technology. Work experience for engineers-to-be is available through the cooperative Professional Practice Program. You could land three or five semesters of paid employment with the same corporation or participate in internship programs that permit rotation among several employers. Opportunities are also available through the Global Engineering Alliance for Research and Education. This organization helps arrange a series of overseas and domestic internships with the same corporation.
- Bachelor of Science in Industrial Distribution
Texas A&M University in College Park
Texas A&M tied for 66th in the U.S. News & World Report National Universities Rankings, as of 2019. The bachelor's degree program in industrial distribution offers interaction with industry representatives via internships and company site visits. A Global Distribution Study Abroad Program in Latin America is also available. If you earn membership in the Sigma Delta honorary, you can represent A&M at U.S. trade association conferences. Graduate industrial distribution students can take advantage of research consortiums sponsored by the Global Supply Chain Laboratory. These degree options are available:
- Bachelor of Science in Industrial Distribution
- Bachelor of Business Administration in Supply Chain Management
- Master of Business Administration with a Certificate in Supply Chain Management
Ten Top Transportation and Distribution Schools
| College/University | Institution Type | Location | Estimated Undergrad In-State Tuition* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan State University | 4-year, Public | East Lansing, MI | $14,500 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 4-year, Private | Cambridge, MA | $52,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University--University Park | 4-year, Public | University Park, PA | $18,500 |
| Arizona State University--Tempe | 4-year, Public | Tempe, AZ | $11,000 |
| University of Tennessee | 4-year, Public | Knoxville, TN | $13,000 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 4-year, Private | Pittsburgh, PA | $55,500 |
| University of Michigan--Ann Arbor | 4-year, Public | Ann Arbor, MI | $15,000 |
| University of Maryland--College Park | 4-year, Public | College Park, MD | $11,000 |
| University of Texas--Austin | 4-year, Public | Austin, TX | $11,000 |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | 4-year, Public | Atlanta, GA | $12,000 |
*Source: NCES, U.S. Department of Education