Best institutions to study Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management Operations
A program that prepares individuals to provide administrative, technical, and managerial support in the operation of warehouses, control of inventory, parts identification, and the performance of counter services for customers.
7 U.S. institutions graduated 242 Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management Operations students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 52.0409, a specialization of Business Operations Support and Assistant Services (CIP 52.04), and leads most directly to the Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks occupation (BLS SOC 43-5061).
About Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management Operations programs
A program that prepares individuals to provide administrative, technical, and managerial support in the operation of warehouses, control of inventory, parts identification, and the performance of counter services for customers. Includes instruction in record-keeping, equipment operation, database entry, supply logistics, shop operations and math, and customer and supplier relations.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Parts program, officially titled Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management Operations, is designed to equip students with the skills needed for administrative, technical, and managerial support in warehouse operations. This program falls under the broader category of Business Operations Support and Assistant Services, making it ideal for those interested in supply chain management and inventory control.
Students will gain essential skills in record-keeping, equipment operation, database entry, and supply logistics. Coursework also covers customer and supplier relations, shop operations, and mathematics, preparing graduates for various roles in the field.
Credentials awarded
What Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management Operations graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year215 graduates / yr · 7 institutions89%
- Associate's degree15 graduates / yr · 2 institutions6.2%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years12 graduates / yr · 2 institutions5.0%
Graduates over time
Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management Operations completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 424 |
| 2013 | 267 |
| 2014 | 328 |
| 2015 | 280 |
| 2016 | 271 |
| 2017 | 292 |
| 2018 | 358 |
| 2019 | 220 |
| 2020 | 281 |
| 2021 | 181 |
| 2022 | 168 |
| 2023 | 185 |
| 2024 | 296 |
| 2025 | 242 |
Top 7 institutions for Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management Operations, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | William Rainey Harper College Palatine, ILPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate'sAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 67 | 48% | — | — |
| 2 | Kaskaskia College Centralia, ILPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 45 | 49% | — | — |
| 3 | Lake Land College Mattoon, ILPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 45 | 58% | — | — |
| 4 | Grand Rapids Community College Grand Rapids, MIPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 37 | 21% | — | — |
| 5 | College of Lake County Grayslake, ILPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic yearsAssociate's | 20 | 37% | — | — |
| 6 | Tarrant County College District Fort Worth, TXPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 20 | 34% | — | — |
| 7 | Pima Community College Tucson, AZPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 8 | 28% | — | $27,705 |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Business Operations Support and Assistant Services field (CIP 52.04) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 4 states
Where Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management Operations graduates come from. Each state links to all Business Operations Support and Assistant Services programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 4 | 177 | William Rainey Harper College67 / yr |
| Michigan | 1 | 37 | Grand Rapids Community College37 / yr |
| Texas | 1 | 20 | Tarrant County College District20 / yr |
| Arizona | 1 | 8 | Pima Community College8 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 43-5061, Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Parts program can pursue careers such as Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks. While the job outlook shows a slight decline of 1.8%, there are approximately 34,100 annual openings in this field, with a median wage of $57,770. A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for entry-level positions.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 52.0409
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerksprimary SOC 43-5061 | $59,650 | -1.8% Decline | ~34,100 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management Operations programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Distribute production schedules or work orders to departments.
- Revise production schedules when required due to design changes, labor or material shortages, backlogs, or other interruptions, collaborating with management, marketing, sales, production, or engineering.
- Review documents, such as production schedules, work orders, or staffing tables, to determine personnel or materials requirements or material priorities.
- Arrange for delivery, assembly, or distribution of supplies or parts to expedite flow of materials and meet production schedules.
- Confer with establishment personnel, vendors, or customers to coordinate production or shipping activities and to resolve complaints or eliminate delays.
- Requisition and maintain inventories of materials or supplies necessary to meet production demands.
Tools and technology used
Other Business Operations Support and Assistant Services specializations
The 8 other 6-digit CIP codes under Business Operations Support and Assistant Services (CIP 52.04).
- Administrative Assistant and Secretarial ScienceCIP 52.04017,104 graduates / yr413 institutions
- Customer Service Support/CIP 52.0411
Call Center/ Teleservice Operation 2,464 graduates / yr37 institutions - Business/CIP 52.0407
Office Automation/ Technology/ Data Entry 2,124 graduates / yr113 institutions - General Office Occupations and Clerical ServicesCIP 52.04081,140 graduates / yr114 institutions
- Executive Assistant/CIP 52.0402
Executive Secretary 1,118 graduates / yr69 institutions - Traffic, Customs, and Transportation Clerk/CIP 52.0410
Technician partial data314 graduates / yr4 institutions - Business Operations Support and Secretarial ServicesCIP 52.0499290 graduates / yr24 institutions
- ReceptionistCIP 52.040697 graduates / yr15 institutions
See all Business Operations Support and Assistant Services programs →
Common questions
What types of credentials can I earn?+
You can earn an Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year, an Associate's degree, or an Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in reading comprehension, active listening, critical thinking, and mathematics, among others.
What are the main tasks I will learn to perform?+
You will learn to distribute production schedules, revise schedules, arrange deliveries, and coordinate with personnel and customers.
How many colleges offer this program?+
Currently, there are 7 colleges in the U.S. offering the Parts program.
What is the CIP code for Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management Operations?+
Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management Operations is CIP 52.0409 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Business Operations Support and Assistant Services (CIP 52.04). NCES defines it as: A program that prepares individuals to provide administrative, technical, and managerial support in the operation of warehouses, control of inventory, parts identification, and the performance of counter services for customers. Includes instruction in record-keeping, equipment operation, database entry, supply logistics, shop operations and math, and customer and supplier relations.
How many institutions offer Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management Operations programs?+
7 U.S. institutions reported Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management Operations graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 4 states, awarding 242 credentials in the year. That is 1.6% of all Business Operations Support and Assistant Services graduates.
How much do Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management Operations graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks occupation, which Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management Operations most directly leads to, pays a median of $59,650 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Business Operations Support and Assistant Services field report median earnings of $27,705 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card