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The differences between plant maintenance supervisors and plant superintendents can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a plant maintenance supervisor, becoming a plant superintendent takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a plant superintendent has an average salary of $95,149, which is higher than the $48,355 average annual salary of a plant maintenance supervisor.
The top three skills for a plant maintenance supervisor include safety procedures, production lines and USDA. The most important skills for a plant superintendent are plant safety, production supervisors, and OSHA.
| Plant Maintenance Supervisor | Plant Superintendent | |
| Yearly salary | $48,355 | $95,149 |
| Hourly rate | $23.25 | $45.74 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 90,042 | 31,744 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 49 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
Plant maintenance supervisors must have a high school diploma or GED at minimum, though some employers will prefer candidates with an associate degree or bachelor's degree. This position requires preventative maintenance skills, knowledge of plant equipment, and understanding of safety procedures. Plant maintenance supervisors supervise a team and maintain the operations of plant systems.
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.
Plant maintenance supervisors and plant superintendents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Plant Maintenance Supervisor | Plant Superintendent | |
| Average salary | $48,355 | $95,149 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $76,000 | Between $67,000 And $134,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Leandro, CA | West Sacramento, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Altice USA | Koch Industries |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Finance |
There are a few differences between a plant maintenance supervisor and a plant superintendent in terms of educational background:
| Plant Maintenance Supervisor | Plant Superintendent | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between plant maintenance supervisors' and plant superintendents' demographics:
| Plant Maintenance Supervisor | Plant Superintendent | |
| Average age | 49 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.1% Female, 5.9% | Male, 96.9% Female, 3.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 2.1% White, 68.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | 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 | 4% | 8% |