Distribution center supervisor vs dock supervisor

The differences between distribution center supervisors and dock supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a distribution center supervisor and a dock supervisor. Additionally, a distribution center supervisor has an average salary of $44,535, which is higher than the $36,007 average annual salary of a dock supervisor.

The top three skills for a distribution center supervisor include logistics, customer service and shipping receiving. The most important skills for a dock supervisor are work ethic, safety rules, and government regulations.

Distribution center supervisor vs dock supervisor overview

	Distribution Center Supervisor	Dock Supervisor
Yearly salary	$44,535	$36,007
Hourly rate	$21.41	$17.31
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	60,371	10,675
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

What does a distribution center supervisor do?

Distribution center supervisors are professionals who are responsible for leading and supervising warehouse staff to operate and facilitate the daily activities of a distribution center. These supervisors are required to receive, store, and handle the products effectively in the center while managing an inventory control system based on the policies of the company. They must ensure that the shipment of products to customers is accurate to avoid delays in distributions. Distribution center supervisors must also maintain updated with the latest techniques used in the distribution process.

What does a dock supervisor do?

Dock supervisors are responsible for ensuring safety while managing dockworkers in the loading and unloading of materials from vessels on the water. They supervise and coordinate with the dockworkers and analyze the vessel's specifications and blueprints to identify the required size, shape, and number of bilge blocks and keel to support the vessel. Other tasks include supervising the dockworkers' tasks such as painting, cleaning, drydocking, and repairing vessels and overseeing flooding operations, and pulling out of vessels from drydock.

Distribution center supervisor vs dock supervisor salary

Distribution center supervisors and dock supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Distribution Center Supervisor	Dock Supervisor
Average salary	$44,535	$36,007
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $59,000	Between $31,000 And $41,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	-
Highest paying state	Connecticut	-
Best paying company	Schneider Electric Industrial Services	-
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	-

Differences between distribution center supervisor and dock supervisor education

There are a few differences between a distribution center supervisor and a dock supervisor in terms of educational background:

	Distribution Center Supervisor	Dock Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Distribution center supervisor vs dock supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between distribution center supervisors' and dock supervisors' demographics:

	Distribution Center Supervisor	Dock Supervisor
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7%	Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 6.4% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 6.2% White, 58.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between distribution center supervisor and dock supervisor duties and responsibilities

Distribution center supervisor example responsibilities.

Entrust with managing entire facility and all warehouse, transportation / logistics, and shipping / receiving operations on numerous occasions.
Assure compliance standard are meet for all internal and external audits including but not limit to FDA inspections.
Strengthen housekeeping standards and make sure that staff comply with the regulatory requirements, such as OSHA forklift certification, PPE
Ensure all personnel follow safety guidelines in accordance with OSHA regulations.
Maintain electronic time management system to ensure proper payroll for all subordinates.
Conduct daily administrative reports including KRONOS payroll, safety observations, employee productivity, and department production.

Dock supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage large team of outbound shipping loaders ensuring timely and proper loading of trailers.
Manage cleanliness and organization throughout the facility.
Manage logistics personnel and logistics systems and direct daily operations.
Train staff on company policies, safety procedures, and OSHA compliance.
Perform accurate and timely entries of all dock and line haul movement on the AS400 computer system.
Upload daily productivity and Kronos time.

Distribution center supervisor vs dock supervisor skills

Common distribution center supervisor skills

Logistics, 9%
Customer Service, 8%
Shipping Receiving, 7%
Safety Procedures, 5%
Continuous Improvement, 5%
Lean Manufacturing, 4%

Common dock supervisor skills

Work Ethic, 15%
Safety Rules, 13%
Government Regulations, 13%
Customer Service, 8%
Necessary Paperwork, 6%
LTL, 5%

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Distribution Center Supervisor
Distribution Center Supervisor vs Dock Supervisor

Updated January 8, 2025

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