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The differences between distribution supervisors and supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a distribution supervisor, becoming a supervisor takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a distribution supervisor has an average salary of $62,458, which is higher than the $53,902 average annual salary of a supervisor.
The top three skills for a distribution supervisor include customer service, logistics and continuous improvement. The most important skills for a supervisor are customer service, safety procedures, and sales floor.
| Distribution Supervisor | Supervisor | |
| Yearly salary | $62,458 | $53,902 |
| Hourly rate | $30.03 | $25.91 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 42,619 | 224,920 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 45 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A distribution supervisor is in charge of overseeing all distribution processes in a warehouse or similar setting, ensuring accuracy and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities typically revolve around coordinating deliveries and shipment, managing schedules, delegating tasks, assessing the performance of the workforce, and maintaining records of all transactions. Should there be any issues or concerns, it is essential to resolve them promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as a supervisor, it is vital to lead and encourage the employees to reach goals and deadlines, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Supervisors are responsible for overseeing the daily functions of employees in a specific team, department, or even a work shift. They create work schedules, organize work processes and workflows, train new hires, provide necessary reports related to the team function and the employees, monitor and evaluate employee performance, and ensure that goals of the specific team or department are met. When needed, supervisors also provide guidance to employees in terms of their career or even personal challenges. They also help in fostering harmonious work relationships by resolving interpersonal conflicts at work. To be successful in their role, they must have leadership skills, time management skills, decision-making capabilities, analytical skills, and problem-solving skills.
Distribution supervisors and supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Distribution Supervisor | Supervisor | |
| Average salary | $62,458 | $53,902 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $96,000 | Between $31,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | Reno, NV | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Agilent Technologies | Reed Smith |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a distribution supervisor and a supervisor in terms of educational background:
| Distribution Supervisor | Supervisor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between distribution supervisors' and supervisors' demographics:
| Distribution Supervisor | Supervisor | |
| Average age | 45 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.7% Female, 17.3% | Male, 55.8% Female, 44.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 6.1% White, 59.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 4.6% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 6% |