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The differences between plant managers and chief operating officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a plant manager, becoming a chief operating officer takes usually requires More than 10 years. Additionally, a chief operating officer has an average salary of $136,604, which is higher than the $113,843 average annual salary of a plant manager.
The top three skills for a plant manager include continuous improvement, customer service and safety program. The most important skills for a chief operating officer are healthcare, customer service, and oversight.
| Plant Manager | Chief Operating Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $113,843 | $136,604 |
| Hourly rate | $54.73 | $65.67 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 275,962 | 128,993 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 44 | 52 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
In general, plant managers are responsible for the entire operations in a manufacturing plant. Plant managers plan, direct, organize, and run the optimum operations of the plant daily. They create and execute organizational or departmental goals procedures, and policies. They aim to increase the manufacturing production and the capacity and flexibility of its assets while keeping its current quality standards and unnecessary costs. They are expected to have a better understanding of the manufacturing industry like equipment use and mechanical aptitude.
A chief operating officer, also known as a COO, is a high-ranking official who oversees a company or organization's daily administrative and overall operations. They are typically the second in the chain of command, reporting directly to the company's chief executive officer, also known as a CEO. Among their duties include developing strategies and guidelines, reviewing reports, performing assessments, and implementing the company's policies, standards, and regulations. Additionally, they lead and empower staff to reach goals, helping solve issues and concerns when any arise.
Plant managers and chief operating officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Plant Manager | Chief Operating Officer | |
| Average salary | $113,843 | $136,604 |
| Salary range | Between $85,000 And $152,000 | Between $81,000 And $229,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Koch Industries | Baker McKenzie |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a plant manager and a chief operating officer in terms of educational background:
| Plant Manager | Chief Operating Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between plant managers' and chief operating officers' demographics:
| Plant Manager | Chief Operating Officer | |
| Average age | 44 | 52 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.7% Female, 6.3% | Male, 76.6% Female, 23.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% Asian, 7.5% White, 76.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 12% |