Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between continuous improvement leaders and process improvement managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a continuous improvement leader, becoming a process improvement manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a process improvement manager has an average salary of $105,454, which is higher than the $85,851 average annual salary of a continuous improvement leader.
The top three skills for a continuous improvement leader include lean six sigma, sigma and process improvement. The most important skills for a process improvement manager are sigma, lean six sigma, and project management.
| Continuous Improvement Leader | Process Improvement Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $85,851 | $105,454 |
| Hourly rate | $41.27 | $50.70 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 35,627 | 177,168 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
A continuous improvement leader is an individual who is responsible for measuring and testing procedures to improve production efficiency in a company. Continuous improvement leaders must work closely with human resources employees or trainers so that they can develop a curriculum to bring hires to their peak efficiency quickly. They are required to improve processes and systems in the company as well as implement programs that have continuing long-term benefits. Continuous improvement leaders must also supervise and direct the work of staff members of the CI department.
Process Improvement Managers oversee the operational processes of the company. These processes are usually related to production, sales, marketing, human resources, or finance. Process Improvement Managers are in charge of creating policies and procedures to guide the company's different departments. They analyze related data and craft recommendations to improve the procedures. They ensure that their recommendations lead to higher efficiency. Process Improvement Managers also ensure that these new processes are implemented properly and yield results.
Continuous improvement leaders and process improvement managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Continuous Improvement Leader | Process Improvement Manager | |
| Average salary | $85,851 | $105,454 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $115,000 | Between $80,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fall River, MA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Wyoming | New York |
| Best paying company | Bunge | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a continuous improvement leader and a process improvement manager in terms of educational background:
| Continuous Improvement Leader | Process Improvement Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between continuous improvement leaders' and process improvement managers' demographics:
| Continuous Improvement Leader | Process Improvement Manager | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.8% Female, 25.2% | Male, 69.0% Female, 31.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 5.4% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 6.3% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 10% |