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The differences between manufacturing technicians and manufacturing 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 technician and a manufacturing supervisor. Additionally, a manufacturing supervisor has an average salary of $71,330, which is higher than the $37,853 average annual salary of a manufacturing technician.
The top three skills for a manufacturing technician include GMP, continuous improvement and hand tools. The most important skills for a manufacturing supervisor are continuous improvement, lean manufacturing, and safety regulations.
| Manufacturing Technician | Manufacturing Supervisor | |
| Yearly salary | $37,853 | $71,330 |
| Hourly rate | $18.20 | $34.29 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 76,490 | 68,725 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 45 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A manufacturing technician, or often called a manufacturing production technician, is an individual who is responsible for setting and testing manufacturing machinery or equipment. To set up the machines, manufacturing technicians will use electronic, electrical, mechanical, or computer technologies. They are responsible for gathering data from their part in the manufacturing process and reporting it to their production or manufacturing engineers. When handling machines or equipment, manufacturing technicians must strictly follow their health and safety procedures and protocols.
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.
Manufacturing technicians and manufacturing supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manufacturing Technician | Manufacturing Supervisor | |
| Average salary | $37,853 | $71,330 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $52,000 | Between $55,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | Framingham, MA | Newark, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Maine |
| Best paying company | Qorvo | Boehringer Ingelheim |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a manufacturing technician and a manufacturing supervisor in terms of educational background:
| Manufacturing Technician | Manufacturing Supervisor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between manufacturing technicians' and manufacturing supervisors' demographics:
| Manufacturing Technician | Manufacturing Supervisor | |
| Average age | 45 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.4% Female, 25.6% | Male, 83.7% Female, 16.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 8.9% White, 59.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |