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The differences between production managers and plant managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a production manager, becoming a plant manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a plant manager has an average salary of $113,843, which is higher than the $78,064 average annual salary of a production manager.
The top three skills for a production manager include continuous improvement, customer service and quality standards. The most important skills for a plant manager are continuous improvement, customer service, and safety program.
| Production Manager | Plant Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $78,064 | $113,843 |
| Hourly rate | $37.53 | $54.73 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 95,561 | 275,962 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
Production managers work in show business, whether in film, television shows, or theatre productions. They oversee the whole production and ensure that all agreements are met. They manage finances and budget allocation. They oversee the design of costumes and sets. They also manage the timeline of filming and ensure that the production or filming will finish within the agreed timeline. Production managers also ensure that all stakeholders are satisfied. They build meaningful working relationships with everyone involved, from directors to actors to crew members. They try to mitigate any potential challenges in the production budget and schedule.
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.
Production managers and plant managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Production Manager | Plant Manager | |
| Average salary | $78,064 | $113,843 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $120,000 | Between $85,000 And $152,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Cheniere Energy | Koch Industries |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a production manager and a plant manager in terms of educational background:
| Production Manager | Plant Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between production managers' and plant managers' demographics:
| Production Manager | Plant Manager | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.6% Female, 23.4% | Male, 93.7% Female, 6.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 10% |