Manufacturing supervisor vs materials supervisor

The differences between manufacturing supervisors and materials supervisors 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 supervisor and a materials supervisor. Additionally, a manufacturing supervisor has an average salary of $71,330, which is higher than the $67,592 average annual salary of a materials supervisor.

The top three skills for a manufacturing supervisor include continuous improvement, lean manufacturing and safety regulations. The most important skills for a materials supervisor are continuous improvement, safety procedures, and logistics.

Manufacturing supervisor vs materials supervisor overview

	Manufacturing Supervisor	Materials Supervisor
Yearly salary	$71,330	$67,592
Hourly rate	$34.29	$32.50
Growth rate	3%	6%
Number of jobs	68,725	61,634
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	2	2

What does a manufacturing supervisor do?

A manufacturing supervisor is a management-level employee who takes responsibility for the daily operations of the production processes in the manufacturing sector. Manufacturing supervisors execute different roles as sponsors, coaches, directors, counselors, and educators. They supervise staff, organize the production team, and monitor the overall workflow. There are necessary skills for this position, including adaptability, cooperation, verbal and written communication, and conflict resolution. The supervisors are also expected to be skilled in mentorship and in making a sound decision.

What does a materials supervisor do?

The job of a materials supervisor is to oversee the shipping, receiving, handling, and warehousing of materials. You will supervise the transport of materials and ensure that the material needs of an organization are met. Typical job duties include overseeing the daily business operations of the group, ensuring best practices in safety, productivity, housekeeping. The supervisors ensure that attendance is being followed and monitoring routine operations in materials management, including logistics and planning. As a materials supervisor, you are also expected to mentor team members for professional and personal development.

Manufacturing supervisor vs materials supervisor salary

Manufacturing supervisors and materials supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Manufacturing Supervisor	Materials Supervisor
Average salary	$71,330	$67,592
Salary range	Between $55,000 And $92,000	Between $51,000 And $89,000
Highest paying City	Newark, NJ	Elkhart, IN
Highest paying state	Maine	Wyoming
Best paying company	Boehringer Ingelheim	Mercy Corps
Best paying industry	Pharmaceutical	Manufacturing

Differences between manufacturing supervisor and materials supervisor education

There are a few differences between a manufacturing supervisor and a materials supervisor in terms of educational background:

	Manufacturing Supervisor	Materials Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Manufacturing supervisor vs materials supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between manufacturing supervisors' and materials supervisors' demographics:

	Manufacturing Supervisor	Materials Supervisor
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 83.7% Female, 16.3%	Male, 79.6% Female, 20.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 4.4% White, 60.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 4.8% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between manufacturing supervisor and materials supervisor duties and responsibilities

Manufacturing supervisor example responsibilities.

Conduct all safety meeting and manage the employee's time keeping (Kronos).
Review and correct documentation and batch records while managing RODAC testing and leading CAPA investigations.
Lead, develop, and implement the KANBAN system by providing better flows of raw material and production.
Manage a team of 16-35 to insure packaging lines are running to standards as far as USDA guidelines and company productivity.
Lead sigma program driving quality, productivity and delivery improvements.
Manage a team of QC inspectors for inspecting automotive components from manufacturing line

Materials supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage the inventory of electrical parts and component using KANBAN.
Manage a free BOM scrubber design to review manufacturer's current part lists.
Develop, implement, and manage logistics of outsource manufacturing operations to sister companies in Canada and Italy.
Establish procedures that manage critical factors such as moisture sensitivity, electrostatic discharge, storeroom temperature and FIFO inventory staging system.
Implement new inventory management system into MRP.
Implement OSHA forklift safety standards to ensure safe and efficient warehouse operations when unloading freight trucks.

Manufacturing supervisor vs materials supervisor skills

Common manufacturing supervisor skills

Continuous Improvement, 10%
Lean Manufacturing, 9%
Safety Regulations, 5%
Quality Standards, 5%
GMP, 5%
Production Schedules, 5%

Common materials supervisor skills

Continuous Improvement, 6%
Safety Procedures, 6%
Logistics, 6%
Inventory Control, 6%
Shipping Receiving, 5%
MRP, 4%

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Manufacturing Supervisor
Manufacturing Supervisor vs Materials Supervisor

Updated January 8, 2025

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