Manufacturing manager vs plant superintendent

The differences between manufacturing managers and plant superintendents 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 manager and a plant superintendent. Additionally, a manufacturing manager has an average salary of $101,712, which is higher than the $95,149 average annual salary of a plant superintendent.

The top three skills for a manufacturing manager include continuous improvement, lean manufacturing and production schedules. The most important skills for a plant superintendent are plant safety, production supervisors, and OSHA.

Manufacturing manager vs plant superintendent overview

	Manufacturing Manager	Plant Superintendent
Yearly salary	$101,712	$95,149
Hourly rate	$48.90	$45.74
Growth rate	3%	3%
Number of jobs	40,395	31,744
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	2	2

What does a manufacturing manager do?

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.

What does a plant superintendent do?

Plant superintendents must have skills in operations, productions, and management. They also need a 4-year degree in business or industrial management. Those who choose this career will be called upon to oversee a plant's manufacturing processes and to recommend improvements to increase productivity. They also enforce all state and federal regulations for plant operations and employee safety.

Manufacturing manager vs plant superintendent salary

Manufacturing managers and plant superintendents have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Manufacturing Manager	Plant Superintendent
Average salary	$101,712	$95,149
Salary range	Between $71,000 And $145,000	Between $67,000 And $134,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	West Sacramento, CA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Alaska
Best paying company	Bain & Company	Koch Industries
Best paying industry	Retail	Finance

Differences between manufacturing manager and plant superintendent education

There are a few differences between a manufacturing manager and a plant superintendent in terms of educational background:

	Manufacturing Manager	Plant Superintendent
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Northwestern University	Northwestern University

Manufacturing manager vs plant superintendent demographics

Here are the differences between manufacturing managers' and plant superintendents' demographics:

	Manufacturing Manager	Plant Superintendent
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 88.8% Female, 11.2%	Male, 96.9% Female, 3.1%
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, 4.1% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 7.6% White, 69.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between manufacturing manager and plant superintendent duties and responsibilities

Manufacturing manager example responsibilities.

Lead plant start up efforts by implementing TPM systems, training, tracking, course correction.
Manage a 3 shift 63 machinist , 15 mfg engineers, and 5 support CNC machining operations.
Manage cross-functional teams to derive root cause analysis and resolutions for deviations, investigations and CAPA's.
Manage tech transfers, DFM, suppliers and CMO on late stage & commercial drug-device combination products.
Manage all tissue valve production functions including QC inspection, machine shop, custom device and surgical accessories.
Utilize applicable decision making tools to consider assets, evaluate effectiveness and realign to achieve strategic goals and ROI.

Plant superintendent example responsibilities.

Manage employee's schedules, time off requests, vacation and payroll with the KRONOS time management software.
Establish safety training program and documentation to satisfy OSHA requirements.
Direct and monitor plant personnel in accordance with OSHA regulations and company safety program.
Function as plant buyer, scheduler, maintenance, and QC lab tech.
Assist machine shop employee's adherence to GMP regulations and completing all necessary paperwork.
Organize training programs for the production personnel GMP, safety compliance and S.O.P's.

Manufacturing manager vs plant superintendent skills

Common manufacturing manager skills

Continuous Improvement, 10%
Lean Manufacturing, 9%
Production Schedules, 4%
Production Supervisors, 4%
Sigma, 4%
Project Management, 3%

Common plant superintendent skills

Plant Safety, 10%
Production Supervisors, 9%
OSHA, 6%
Continuous Improvement, 6%
Plant Operations, 6%
Lean Manufacturing, 5%

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Manufacturing Manager
Manufacturing Manager vs Plant Superintendent

Updated January 8, 2025

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