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The differences between plant superintendents and manufacturing directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a plant superintendent and a manufacturing director. Additionally, a manufacturing director has an average salary of $147,277, which is higher than the $95,149 average annual salary of a plant superintendent.
The top three skills for a plant superintendent include plant safety, production supervisors and OSHA. The most important skills for a manufacturing director are continuous improvement, supply chain, and lean manufacturing.
| Plant Superintendent | Manufacturing Director | |
| Yearly salary | $95,149 | $147,277 |
| Hourly rate | $45.74 | $70.81 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 31,744 | 42,235 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
A manufacturing director is primarily in charge of spearheading and overseeing a company's manufacturing procedures. Their responsibilities revolve around setting goals and objectives, coordinating and managing different departments, planning budgets, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of existing processes, implementing solutions, and developing strategies to optimize manufacturing operations. Furthermore, as a manufacturing director, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.
Plant superintendents and manufacturing directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Plant Superintendent | Manufacturing Director | |
| Average salary | $95,149 | $147,277 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $134,000 | Between $100,000 And $214,000 |
| Highest paying City | West Sacramento, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Koch Industries | Nationwide Children's Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Retail |
There are a few differences between a plant superintendent and a manufacturing director in terms of educational background:
| Plant Superintendent | Manufacturing Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between plant superintendents' and manufacturing directors' demographics:
| Plant Superintendent | Manufacturing Director | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.9% Female, 3.1% | Male, 92.9% Female, 7.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.0% White, 69.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |