Career comparison
Industrial Production Manager vs. Production Supervisor
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Industrial production managers earn more at the median ($126,060 vs. $74,450), while production supervisors usually get to work faster (3–5 years of experience of training). Industrial production managers run a factory’s production so products get made safely, on time and on budget. Production supervisors lead factory teams to hit safety, quality and production goals every shift.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Industrial Production Manager | Production Supervisor | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $126,060 ($60.61/hr) | $74,450 ($35.79/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $78,000 – $205,520 | $47,130 – $108,750 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +2.6% (about as fast as average) | +1.8% (slower than average) |
| Openings per year | 17,000 | 61,000 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training time | 5+ years of manufacturing experience | 3–5 years of experience |
| Key credential | Lean Six Sigma Black Belt | Lean Six Sigma Green Belt |
| Work setting | Production managers work in plant offices and on the factory floor.. | Supervisors work on factory floors and in nearby offices. |
What each job does
Industrial Production Manager
- Plan production schedules
- Manage supervisors and staff
- Track output and costs
- Ensure product quality
- Lead safety programs
Production Supervisor
- Plan staffing and assign work each shift
- Lead start-of-shift huddles
- Monitor output, scrap and downtime
- Enforce safety rules and investigate incidents
- Solve production and quality problems
How they’re similar
Both careers involve high-pay, high responsibility, working with people, and problem-solving. Both are part of the mechanics, maintenance & manufacturing field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose industrial production manager if…
- I like running operations
- I solve problems fast
- I care about safety
Choose production supervisor if…
- I like leading teams
- I stay calm when things break
- I can make quick decisions
Still torn? Take the Industrial Production Manager fit quiz and the Production Supervisor fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, industrial production manager or production supervisor?
Industrial Production Managers earn more at the median: $126,060 versus $74,450 for production supervisors, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Production Supervisors typically train faster (3–5 years of experience) than industrial production managers (5+ years of manufacturing experience).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects industrial production managers to grow +2.6% from 2025–35, compared with +1.8% for production supervisors.