How To Become A Production Controller: What It Is and Career Path

What is a production controller and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Production is a vital component of any manufacturing operation, which is why the role of a production controller is so important. The production controller is responsible for overseeing the operations in a manufacturing facility, aiming to ensure optimal workflow and proper adherence to company guidelines and other regulations.

It is also the responsibility of a production controller to ensure that all products meet quality standards before shipment. To do this, they conduct regular inspections, monitor the work performance of employees, and address production issues before or as they arise.

If you want to pursue the role of a production controller, you may need to have a four-year degree in a business-related field, ideally in supply chain management. However, you may still qualify for this role so long as you have adequate work experience and a proven track record in production management.

In terms of compensation, you can expect to earn around $43,000 to $74,000 a year as a production controller, depending on your experience and employer.

ScoreProduction ControllerUS Average

Salary

4.2

Avg. Salary $53,125

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.8

Growth rate -3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.53%

Asian 6.97%

Black or African American 10.07%

Hispanic or Latino 16.65%

Unknown 4.93%

White 60.86%

Gender

female 36.01%

male 63.99%

Age - 45

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45

Stress level

7.8

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.3

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.9

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a production controller

Explore production controller education requirements

Most common production controller degrees

Bachelor's

49.5 %

Associate

25.4 %

High School Diploma

13.3 %

Start to develop specific production controller skills

Skills	Percentages
Production Control	28.00%
Production Planning	13.92%
Logistics	5.72%
Control Procedures	4.89%
Production Schedules	3.14%

Complete relevant production controller training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New production controllers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a production controller based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real production controller resumes.

Research production controller duties and responsibilities

Manage multiple windows to access accurate inventory, P.O numbers and job numbers.
Schedule production and manage inventory of raw materials and finish products using the MRP inventory control system.
Manage production order releases base on space, capacity, man power and indenture BOM build schemes.
Provide management with visibility of material shortages, backlogs, manage WIP variances and other potential schedule conflicts.

Prepare your production controller resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your production controller resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a production controller resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable production controller resume templates

Build a professional production controller resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your production controller resume.