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The differences between production managers and production superintendents 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 superintendent. Additionally, a production superintendent has an average salary of $88,703, 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 production superintendent are continuous improvement, OSHA, and production supervisors.
| Production Manager | Production Superintendent | |
| Yearly salary | $78,064 | $88,703 |
| Hourly rate | $37.53 | $42.65 |
| Growth rate | 3% | - |
| Number of jobs | 95,561 | 101,534 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| 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 superintendent oversees the production operations of manufacturing plants to ensure their efficiency and adherence to guidelines, budgets, and timelines. They have the authority to coordinate meetings with managers and teams to set objectives and schedules, supervise the use of funds, address issues and concerns, conduct assessments and evaluations, and develop strategies to meet production goals. Moreover, as a production superintendent, it is essential to lead staff while implementing the company's safety policies and regulations for a smooth and safe workflow.
Production managers and production superintendents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Production Manager | Production Superintendent | |
| Average salary | $78,064 | $88,703 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $120,000 | Between $62,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | East Windsor, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Cheniere Energy | Bunge |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a production manager and a production superintendent in terms of educational background:
| Production Manager | Production Superintendent | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between production managers' and production superintendents' demographics:
| Production Manager | Production Superintendent | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.6% Female, 23.4% | Male, 95.5% Female, 4.5% |
| 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, 13.1% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 4.8% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |