Industrial Production Managers
Career, Salary and Education Information
What They Do: Industrial production managers oversee the daily operations of manufacturing and related plants.
Work Environment: Most industrial production managers work full time and some work more than 40 hours per week.
How to Become One: Industrial production managers typically need a bachelor’s degree and several years of related work experience.
Salary: The median annual wage for industrial production managers is $103,150.
Job Outlook: Employment of industrial production managers is projected to grow 3 percent over the next ten years, slower than the average for all occupations.
Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of industrial production managers with similar occupations.
Following is everything you need to know about a career as an industrial production manager with lots of details. As a first step, take a look at some of the following jobs, which are real jobs with real employers. You will be able to see the very real job career requirements for employers who are actively hiring. The link will open in a new tab so that you can come back to this page to continue reading about the career:
Top 3 Production Manager Jobs
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Test Production Supervisor, Electronics
- Ensign-Bickford Industries
- Simsbury, CT
This position manages test technicians, and oversees these roles in the logistics, coordination and execution of all tasks associated with product testing. Principal duties and responsibilities ...
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Operations Manager
- U.S. Venture
- Redlands, CA
Works to develop and maintain productive business relations with vendors, suppliers and shippers ... Manages the development of warehouse personnel. Provides measurable feedback to assigned personnel ...
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Senior Product Manager
- McKinstry Company
- Seattle, WA
Product Management Leadership * Takes the lead and owns a major, large-scale initiative. * Manage product life cycle (including modifications, upgrades and maintenance) through end of life. * Lead ...
Top 3 Quality Control Manager Jobs
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Completions Quality Control Inspector
- Leonardo Helicopters
- Milton, FL
... Managers for all matters relating to Quality concerning customer aircraft or parts. 5 10. Performs ... Minimum 5 years hands-on quality control inspector on turbine helicopters in a Part 145 Repair ...
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Supervisor, Quality Control
- Ensign-Bickford Industries
- Moorpark, CA
This position reports to the Senior Supply Chain & Logistics Manager . Responsibilities: * Oversees and coordinates quality control activities and assures conforming product is processed timely ...
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Quality Manager
- Howmet
- Simi Valley, CA
... process control , root cause problem identification. Coordinates regular management meetings to review corrective action and quality systems. Publishes regular reports and identified trends
What Industrial Production Managers Do[About this section] [To Top]
Industrial production managers oversee the daily operations of manufacturing and related plants. They coordinate, plan, and direct the activities used to create a wide range of goods, such as cars, computer equipment, or paper products.
Duties of Industrial Production Managers
Industrial production managers typically do the following:
- Decide how best to use a plant's workers and equipment to meet production goals
- Ensure that production stays on schedule and within budget
- Hire, train, and evaluate workers
- Analyze production data
- Write production reports
- Monitor a plant's workers and programs to ensure they meet performance and safety requirements
- Streamline the production process
- Determine whether new machines are needed or whether overtime work is necessary
- Fix any production problems
Industrial production managers, also called plant managers, may oversee an entire manufacturing plant or a specific area of production.
Industrial production managers are responsible for carrying out quality control programs to make sure the finished product meets a specific level of quality. Often called quality control systems managers, these managers use programs to help identify defects in products, identify the cause of the defect, and solve the problem creating it. For example, a manager may determine that a defect is being caused by parts from an outside supplier. The manager can then work with the supplier to improve the quality of the parts.
Industrial production managers work closely with managers from other departments as well. For example, the procurement (buying) department orders the supplies that the production department uses. A breakdown in communication between these two departments can cause production slowdowns. Industrial production managers also communicate with other managers and departments, such as sales, warehousing, finance, and research and design.
Work Environment for Industrial Production Managers[About this section] [To Top]
Industrial production managers hold about 203,800 jobs. The largest employers of industrial production managers are as follows:
| Transportation equipment manufacturing | 10% |
| Fabricated metal product manufacturing | 10% |
| Chemical manufacturing | 8% |
| Machinery manufacturing | 7% |
| Food manufacturing | 7% |
Industrial production managers split their time between the production area and a nearby office. When they are working in the production area, they may need to wear protective equipment, such as a helmet or safety goggles.
Industrial Production Manager Work Schedules
Most industrial production managers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. They may need to be on call to deal with emergencies at any time. Some industrial production managers work night or weekend shifts.
How to Become a Industrial Production Manager[About this section] [To Top]
Get the education you need: Find schools for Industrial Production Managers near you!
Industrial production managers typically need a bachelor's degree and several years of related work experience.
Education for Industrial Production Managers
Employers prefer that industrial production managers have at least a bachelor's degree. While the degree may be in any field, many industrial production managers have a bachelor's degree in business administration or industrial engineering. Sometimes, production workers with many years of experience take management classes to become production managers. At large plants, where managers have more oversight responsibilities, employers may look for managers who have a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or a graduate degree in industrial management.
Work Experience in a Related Occupation for Industrial Production Managers
Many industrial production managers begin as production workers and move up through the ranks. They usually advance to a first-line supervisory position before eventually becoming an industrial production manager. Most earn a college degree in business management or take company-sponsored classes to increase their chances of a promotion.
Alternatively, a worker who joins a firm immediately after graduating from college may work as first-line supervisor before beginning a job as a production manager.
Some begin working as an industrial production manager directly after college or graduate school. They may spend their first few months in training programs, becoming familiar with the production process, company policies, and safety regulations. In large companies, many also spend short periods of time working in other departments, such as purchasing or accounting, to learn more about the company.
Important Qualities for Industrial Production Managers
Interpersonal skills. Industrial production managers must have excellent communication skills so they can work well other managers and with staff.
Leadership skills. To keep the production process running smoothly, industrial production managers must motivate and direct the employees they manage.
Problem-solving skills. Production managers must identify problems immediately and solve them. For example, if a product has a defect, the manager determines whether it is a one-time problem or the result of the production process.
Time-management skills. To meet production deadlines, managers must carefully manage their employees' time as well as their own.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations for Industrial Production Managers
While not required, industrial production managers can earn certifications that show a higher level of competency in quality or management systems. The APICS offers a Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) credential. The American Society of Quality (ASQ) offers credentials in quality control. Both certifications require specific amounts of work experience before applying for the credential, so they are generally not earned before entering the occupation.
Industrial Production Manager Salaries[About this section] [More salary/earnings info] [To Top]
The median annual wage for industrial production managers is $103,150. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $64,150, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $170,470.
The median annual wages for industrial production managers in the top industries in which they work are as follows:
| Chemical manufacturing | $125,480 |
| Transportation equipment manufacturing | $119,400 |
| Machinery manufacturing | $101,870 |
| Food manufacturing | $98,500 |
| Fabricated metal product manufacturing | $98,490 |
Most industrial production managers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. They may need to be on call to deal with emergencies at any time. Some industrial production managers work night or weekend shifts.
Job Outlook for Industrial Production Managers[About this section] [To Top]
Employment of industrial production managers is projected to grow 3 percent over the next ten years, slower than the average for all occupations.
Despite limited employment growth, about 15,400 openings for industrial production managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment of Industrial Production Managers
Most of these managers are employed in manufacturing industries, some of which are expected to have declining employment due to greater productivity. However, because industrial production managers are responsible for coordinating work activities with the goal of increasing productivity, they will continue to be needed in this capacity.
| Occupational Title | Employment, 2021 | Projected Employment, 2031 | Change, 2021-31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Numeric | |||
| Industrial production managers | 203,800 | 210,900 | 3 | 7,100 |
More Industrial Production Manager Information[About this section] [To Top]
For more information about careers in production management and certification, visit
Association for Operations Management (APICS)
For more information about quality management and certification, visit
For general information about manufacturing careers, visit
A portion of the information on this page is used by permission of the U.S. Department of Labor.