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The differences between production managers and production leaders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a production manager and a production leader. Additionally, a production manager has an average salary of $78,064, which is higher than the $44,563 average annual salary of a production leader.
The top three skills for a production manager include continuous improvement, customer service and quality standards. The most important skills for a production leader are customer service, continuous improvement, and safety procedures.
| Production Manager | Production Leader | |
| Yearly salary | $78,064 | $44,563 |
| Hourly rate | $37.53 | $21.42 |
| Growth rate | 3% | - |
| Number of jobs | 95,561 | 107,578 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
A production leader usually works at a manufacturing plant or a similar setting. They are primarily responsible for overseeing all processing operations and workforce performance, ensuring efficiency and timeliness. They are also responsible for coordinating with personnel, producing progress reports, processing paperwork, delegating tasks, setting the budget and goals, evaluating performances, and even training new members of the workforce. Furthermore, as a leader, it is essential to implement all policies and regulations set by the company to maintain a productive and safe work environment for everyone.
Production managers and production leaders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Production Manager | Production Leader | |
| Average salary | $78,064 | $44,563 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $120,000 | Between $31,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | New York |
| Best paying company | Cheniere Energy | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a production manager and a production leader in terms of educational background:
| Production Manager | Production Leader | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between production managers' and production leaders' demographics:
| Production Manager | Production Leader | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.6% Female, 23.4% | Male, 70.6% Female, 29.4% |
| 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, 11.0% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.8% Asian, 5.1% White, 59.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |