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The differences between manufacturing leaders and manufacturing managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a manufacturing leader and a manufacturing manager. Additionally, a manufacturing manager has an average salary of $101,712, which is higher than the $89,761 average annual salary of a manufacturing leader.
The top three skills for a manufacturing leader include lean manufacturing, continuous improvement and GMP. The most important skills for a manufacturing manager are continuous improvement, lean manufacturing, and production schedules.
| Manufacturing Leader | Manufacturing Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $89,761 | $101,712 |
| Hourly rate | $43.15 | $48.90 |
| Growth rate | - | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 87,299 | 40,395 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 46 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A manufacturing leader or production leader is someone who takes charge of the manufacturer's production process. Manufacturing leaders plan, organize, and establish a recommendation for manufacturing strategies. They make sure that products are successfully developed based on the specifications. They supervise the teams working in product development and operations. It is part of their job to ensure great production management. They study successes and failures and emphasize growth. Also, they inspire and engage staff at every level of the manufacturing process.
A manufacturing manager is an individual who manages the day-to-day operations of the organization's production process to ensure that all workers and departments meet the organization's productivity and efficiency standards. Manufacturing managers work under a department head and assist them in planning and directing an efficient equipment layout and material flow. They implement quality control programs that ensure finished products are in par with a certain standard. They also train manufacturing workers and monitor them to ensure that they meet performance and safety requirements.
Manufacturing leaders and manufacturing managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manufacturing Leader | Manufacturing Manager | |
| Average salary | $89,761 | $101,712 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $126,000 | Between $71,000 And $145,000 |
| Highest paying City | New Brunswick, NJ | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Western Digital | Bain & Company |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Retail |
There are a few differences between a manufacturing leader and a manufacturing manager in terms of educational background:
| Manufacturing Leader | Manufacturing Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between manufacturing leaders' and manufacturing managers' demographics:
| Manufacturing Leader | Manufacturing Manager | |
| Average age | 46 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.7% Female, 20.3% | Male, 88.8% Female, 11.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 4.5% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 9.2% White, 69.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |