How much does a plant manager make?

The average plant manager salary in the United States is $113,843. Plant manager salaries typically range between $85,000 and $152,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for plant managers is $54.73 per hour. Plant manager salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Plant managers earn the highest average salary in New Jersey.

Plant manager salary

Q: What state pays Plant Managers the most?

New Jersey pays Plant Managers the most in the United States, with an average salary of $140,315 per year, or $67.46 per hour.

Q: How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as a plant manager?

You know if you are being paid fairly as a plant manager if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in Washington you should be paid close to $135,454 per year.

Q: What is a good starting salary for a Plant Manager?

A good starting salary for a plant manager is $83,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a plant manager in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for plant managers is $111,725, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a plant manager can vary by state.

Q: How much do food plant managers make?

Food plant managers make, on average, $93,940 a year. However, there is a lot of variation in the earning potential of a food plant manager - starting from as little as $56,640 to as high as $162,240 a year. Factors such as industry and company impact how much a food plant manager can make.

Q: How much do plant managers make a year?

Plant managers make, on average, $99,000 a year. There is, however, considerable range in how much a plant manager can make - starting from as little as $68,000 a year to as much as $139,000 a year. Factors such as the location, industry, and plant type impact where a plant manager will fall along that pay scale.

Q: What degree do I need to be a plant manager?

To be a plant manager, you will need a bachelor's degree and at least 15 years of work experience. There are situations where a plant manager can work their way up in the company with little to no formal education, but this is more of the expectation rather than the norm.

Q: What do manufacturing plant managers make?

A manufacturing plant manager makes, on average, $96,238 a year. However, there is a considerable range in how much a plant manager can make - starting from as little as $42,000 to as much as $145,000 a year. Factors such as years of experience and location impact how much money a manufacturing plant manager can make.

Average plant manager salary

$113,843

$54.73 hourly rate

Entry-level plant manager salary

$85,000 yearly salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Understanding Plant Manager Salaries

A Plant Manager's salary reflects their vital role in the manufacturing sector. Currently, the average salary is $113,843 annually, translating to approximately $55 per hour. This figure is influenced by several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and specific industry sectors. For instance, states like California and Texas often offer higher salaries due to the concentration of manufacturing facilities.

Salary Variations by Experience

Experience significantly impacts earnings. Entry-level Plant Managers can expect salaries around $85,000, while those with over a decade in the field can earn upwards of $130,000. Additionally, sectors such as pharmaceuticals and automotive manufacturing typically pay more than consumer goods.

Opportunities for Advancement

Continuous learning and certifications can enhance a Plant Manager's prospects. Engaging in leadership training or specialized programs can position candidates for higher-paying roles, making a strategic investment in their careers.

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Plant manager salary by:

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Where can a Plant Manager earn more?

Compare salary by location

148k

128k

108k

88k

68k

Columbus, OH$136,008

Kennesaw, GA$97,887

Compare salary by company

151k

131k

111k

91k

Koch Industries$137,785

Hubbell$121,446

Plant manager salaries by experience level

Experience level	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
Entry-level plant manager	$46,900	$22.54
Mid-level plant manager	$72,400	$34.82
Senior-level plant manager	$131,000	$63.13

Plant manager salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Salary.com, Indeed, Glassdoor and Comparably, the average salary for a plant manager typically falls between $110,201 and $193,365.

zippia

$113,843yearly

glassdoor[1]

$149,162yearly

indeed[2]

$110,201yearly

comparably[3]

$137,700yearly

Salary.com[4]

$193,365yearly

Average plant manager salary by state

The average plant manager salary in New Jersey, Washington, and California are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average plant manager salary states are Hawaii, West Virginia, and Arizona.

State view
County view

Average salary:

Highest paying states for plant managers

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	Michigan	$118,498	$56.97
2	Alabama	$111,063	$53.40
3	New Jersey	$140,315	$67.46
4	Washington	$135,454	$65.12
5	Wisconsin	$117,249	$56.37
6	Illinois	$116,491	$56.01
7	Maryland	$122,758	$59.02
8	Pennsylvania	$119,246	$57.33
9	Delaware	$121,840	$58.58
10	Ohio	$115,011	$55.29
11	California	$126,936	$61.03
12	Massachusetts	$124,416	$59.82
13	Tennessee	$109,330	$52.56
14	Nevada	$119,133	$57.28
15	North Carolina	$109,531	$52.66
16	District of Columbia	$127,861	$61.47
17	South Dakota	$116,745	$56.13
18	Louisiana	$108,354	$52.09
19	Rhode Island	$117,545	$56.51
20	Texas	$108,468	$52.15
21	South Carolina	$106,283	$51.10
22	Connecticut	$114,373	$54.99
23	Indiana	$99,887	$48.02
24	New York	$116,689	$56.10
25	Colorado	$110,257	$53.01
26	Minnesota	$105,410	$50.68
27	Virginia	$106,077	$51.00
28	Alaska	$111,782	$53.74
29	Missouri	$97,567	$46.91
30	New Mexico	$107,303	$51.59
31	Georgia	$97,617	$46.93
32	Oklahoma	$101,513	$48.80
33	Montana	$103,923	$49.96
34	Kansas	$94,259	$45.32
35	Kentucky	$90,981	$43.74
36	Nebraska	$104,190	$50.09
37	New Hampshire	$102,249	$49.16
38	North Dakota	$100,811	$48.47
39	Wyoming	$96,049	$46.18
40	Arkansas	$85,086	$40.91
41	Oregon	$100,541	$48.34
42	Arizona	$82,638	$39.73
43	Florida	$84,788	$40.76
44	West Virginia	$83,207	$40.00
45	Utah	$88,963	$42.77
46	Maine	$94,190	$45.28
47	Idaho	$91,897	$44.18
48	Iowa	$78,933	$37.95
49	Mississippi	$75,645	$36.37
50	Hawaii	$84,030	$40.40
51	Vermont	$80,443	$38.67

Top plant manager jobs near you

Highest paying cities for plant managers

The highest-paying cities for plant managers are Richmond, CA, Boston, MA, and Baltimore, MD.

Rank	City	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	Richmond, CA	$136,008	$65.39
2	Boston, MA	$124,311	$59.76
3	Baltimore, MD	$123,109	$59.19
4	Philadelphia, PA	$119,864	$57.63
5	Detroit, MI	$118,745	$57.09
6	Las Vegas, NV	$118,371	$56.91
7	Milwaukee, WI	$117,602	$56.54
8	Chicago, IL	$117,007	$56.25
9	New York, NY	$116,863	$56.18
10	Toledo, OH	$115,534	$55.55
11	Greensboro, NC	$110,305	$53.03
12	Colorado Springs, CO	$110,213	$52.99
13	Fort Worth, TX	$110,149	$52.96
14	Birmingham, AL	$110,090	$52.93
15	Baton Rouge, LA	$108,540	$52.18
16	Memphis, TN	$106,878	$51.38
17	Richmond, VA	$105,799	$50.86
18	Lincoln, NE	$103,536	$49.78
19	Fort Wayne, IN	$102,069	$49.07
20	Kennesaw, GA	$97,887	$47.06

Plant Managers are the most in-demand in these five cities:

Plant manager salary details

A plant manager's salary ranges from $85,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $152,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average plant manager salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a plant manager's salary?

Percentile	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate
90th Percentile	$152,000	$12,667	$73
75th Percentile	$132,000	$11,000	$63
Average	$113,843	$9,487	$55
25th Percentile	$97,000	$8,083	$47
10th Percentile	$85,000	$7,083	$41

Highest paying plant manager jobs

The highest paying types of plant managers are business unit manager, process improvement manager, and lead manager.

Job title	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
General Manager Of Operations	$89,522	$7,460	$43.04	382,581
Continuous Improvement Manager	$99,644	$8,304	$47.91	154,463
Manager/Partner	$95,382	$7,948	$45.86	355,212
Process Improvement Manager	$105,454	$8,788	$50.70	177,168
Regional Operation Manager	$78,588	$6,549	$37.78	346,480
Business Unit Manager	$122,782	$10,232	$59.03	295,151

Top companies hiring plant managers now:

Which companies pay plant managers the most?

Plant manager salaries at Koch Industries and Koppers are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average plant manager salary at companies like Pacifi and Korn Ferry are highly competitive.

Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate
1	Koch Industries	$137,785	$66.24
2	Koppers	$137,248	$65.98
3	Pacifi	$134,015	$64.43
4	Korn Ferry	$133,953	$64.40
5	H-E-B	$133,066	$63.97
6	Calpine	$132,053	$63.49
7	Valero Energy	$131,759	$63.35
8	Foley Products	$128,931	$61.99
9	Dana Incorporated	$126,858	$60.99
10	Jm	$125,982	$60.57
11	Fluor Corporation	$125,279	$60.23
12	Ameresco	$124,784	$59.99
13	Johns Manville	$123,846	$59.54
14	FlatironConstruction	$123,842	$59.54
15	Amgen	$123,311	$59.28
16	Oldcastle Infrastructure	$122,707	$58.99
17	Bimbo Bakeries	$122,265	$58.78
18	General Electric	$122,003	$58.66
19	VT Industries	$121,968	$58.64
20	Hubbell	$121,446	$58.39

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$117,000$115,200$113,400$111,600$109,800$108,000

MaleFemale

Plant Manager salary by industry

The average plant manager salary varies across industries:

The average plant manager salary in the finance industry is $102,077, the highest of any industry.
The average plant manager salary in the finance industry is $101,177.
Plant managers in the retail industry earn an average salary of $87,081, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for plant managers

Rank	Industry	Average salary	Hourly rate
1	Finance	$102,077	$49.08
2	Automotive	$101,177	$48.64
3	Manufacturing	$97,672	$46.96
4	Construction	$92,164	$44.31
5	Energy	$88,193	$42.40
6	Retail	$87,081	$41.87

High paying plant manager jobs

Plant manager salary trends

The average plant manager salary has risen by $9,336 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average plant manager earned $104,507 annually, but today, they earn $113,843 a year. That works out to a 4% change in pay for plant managers over the last decade.

Compare plant manager salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average plant manager salary over time

Compare plant manager salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Plant manager salary by year

Year	Avg. salary	Hourly rate	% Change
2025	$114,000	$54.73	+2.8%
2024	$111,000	$53.22	-0.1%
2023	$111,000	$53.30	+0.5%
2022	$110,000	$53.02	+1.1%
2021	$109,000	$52.44	+1.6%

Recently added plant manager salaries

Company	Job	Location	Date added	Salary
Clorox	Manager Plant Safety	Forest Park, GA	06/30/2025	$106,700
C.H. Guenther & Son	Plant Manager	Portland, OR	06/30/2025	$101,023
Carrier	Regional Plant Manager-Multisite Coverage	Cranston, RI	06/30/2025	$90,263
Ccc	Plant Manager	Batavia, NY	06/30/2025	$115,800
Ccc	Plant Manager	Tukwila, WA	06/30/2025	$133,100
General Mills, Inc.	Plant Finance Manager-Richmond Pet Food Plant	Richmond, IN	06/29/2025	$91,900
4 Over LLC	Print Plant Manager	Huber Heights, OH	06/29/2025	$105,000
Premium Waters	Plant Manager	Quincy, IL	06/29/2025	$115,000
Volm Companies	Manufacturing Plant Manager	Idaho Falls, ID	06/29/2025	$50,000
Green Plains	Plant Manager	Fergus Falls, MN	06/28/2025	$186,000