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The differences between manufacturing managers and operations 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 manufacturing manager, becoming an operations manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a manufacturing manager has an average salary of $101,712, which is higher than the $76,894 average annual salary of an operations manager.
The top three skills for a manufacturing manager include continuous improvement, lean manufacturing and production schedules. The most important skills for an operations manager are customer service, logistics, and continuous improvement.
| Manufacturing Manager | Operations Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $101,712 | $76,894 |
| Hourly rate | $48.90 | $36.97 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 40,395 | 343,868 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 48 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
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.
Operations managers are in charge of running the main business of the organization. They ensure that the business is running smoothly from an operations standpoint. They make sure that the processes in place produce the necessary output by implementing quality control measures. They also manage finances and ensure that there is enough budget to keep the operations of the business running. They also ensure that the production of goods or services is cost-efficient. Operations managers also handle people-related concerns. They are responsible for interviewing candidates, choosing the ones to hire, and ensuring that individuals assigned to operations are properly trained.
Manufacturing managers and operations managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manufacturing Manager | Operations Manager | |
| Average salary | $101,712 | $76,894 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $145,000 | Between $47,000 And $123,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Delaware |
| Best paying company | Bain & Company | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Technology |
There are a few differences between a manufacturing manager and an operations manager in terms of educational background:
| Manufacturing Manager | Operations Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between manufacturing managers' and operations managers' demographics:
| Manufacturing Manager | Operations Manager | |
| Average age | 48 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.8% Female, 11.2% | Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 10% |