Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between manufacturing quality managers and manufacturing directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a manufacturing quality manager, becoming a manufacturing director takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a manufacturing director has an average salary of $147,277, which is higher than the $121,115 average annual salary of a manufacturing quality manager.
The top three skills for a manufacturing quality manager include continuous improvement, lean manufacturing and ISO. The most important skills for a manufacturing director are continuous improvement, supply chain, and lean manufacturing.
| Manufacturing Quality Manager | Manufacturing Director | |
| Yearly salary | $121,115 | $147,277 |
| Hourly rate | $58.23 | $70.81 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 88,190 | 42,235 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A manufacturing quality manager ensures the manufacturing processes and products meet minimum standards of quality. In this position, they are required to ensure a certain level of quality is met, understand customer needs and requirements, develop quality control processes that meet the requirements provided, review specifications for products and processes, inspect final products to ensure they comply with legal standards, and set requirements for raw materials from suppliers.
A manufacturing director is primarily in charge of spearheading and overseeing a company's manufacturing procedures. Their responsibilities revolve around setting goals and objectives, coordinating and managing different departments, planning budgets, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of existing processes, implementing solutions, and developing strategies to optimize manufacturing operations. Furthermore, as a manufacturing director, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.
Manufacturing quality managers and manufacturing directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manufacturing Quality Manager | Manufacturing Director | |
| Average salary | $121,115 | $147,277 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $178,000 | Between $100,000 And $214,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Apple | Nationwide Children's Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Retail |
There are a few differences between a manufacturing quality manager and a manufacturing director in terms of educational background:
| Manufacturing Quality Manager | Manufacturing Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between manufacturing quality managers' and manufacturing directors' demographics:
| Manufacturing Quality Manager | Manufacturing Director | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.8% Female, 13.2% | Male, 92.9% Female, 7.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 9.2% White, 69.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.0% White, 69.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |