Purpose: The costs in higher education are increasing and need to be controlled. This paper aims to demonstrate what lessons higher education could learn from Wal-Mart's reasons for its financial success with its focus on efficient and effective supply chain management (SCM) best practices. Design/methodology/approach: Wal-Mart's best practices in SCM were investigated through a secondary data literature review. Findings: Wal-Mart's best practices in SCM can be categorized into four segments: strategic concepts, logistics and distribution, information technology, and supplier collaboration. The company's technology, outsourcing, and collaboration practices are particularly useful in higher education. Research limitations/implications: The adoption of Wal-Mart's best practices was investigated for only one service industry (higher education). Future research could apply these practices to other service industries, such as hotels and transportation. Practical implications: Higher education is looking for best practices to help control costs and can learn from Wal-Mart's best practices. Originality/value: Past research has focused on applying the best practices of other colleges and universities to higher education. Benchmarking Wal-Mart's best practices can add further value to the sustainability of higher education.