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Job outlook for production managers in the United States
Production manager job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected production manager job growth rate is 3% from 2018-2028.
About 7,100 new jobs for production managers are projected over the next decade.
Production manager salaries have increased 9% for production managers in the last 5 years.
There are over 150,359 production managers currently employed in the United States.
There are 95,561 active production manager job openings in the US.
The average production manager salary is $78,064.
Are production manager jobs in demand?
Production manager job and salary trends over time
Production manager jobs over time
Production manager job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 150,359 | 0.04% |
| 2020 | 139,078 | 0.04% |
| 2019 | 145,222 | 0.04% |
| 2018 | 142,366 | 0.04% |
| 2017 | 138,612 | 0.04% |
Average production manager salary over time
Production manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $78,064 | $37.53 | +2.5% |
| 2025 | $76,151 | $36.61 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | $75,046 | $36.08 | +2.6% |
| 2023 | $73,120 | $35.15 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $71,766 | $34.50 | +2.6% |
Production manager jobs by state
Most common states for production managers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 664 | 21% |
| 2 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 1,175 | 20% |
| 3 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,270 | 19% |
| 4 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,041 | 19% |
| 5 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 253 | 19% |
| 6 | Vermont | 623,657 | 104 | 17% |
| 7 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 1,886 | 16% |
| 8 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 718 | 16% |
| 9 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 306 | 16% |
| 10 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 109 | 16% |
| 11 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,058 | 15% |
| 12 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 424 | 15% |
| 13 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,846 | 14% |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,815 | 14% |
| 15 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 853 | 14% |
| 16 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 438 | 14% |
| 17 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 181 | 14% |
| 18 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 1,259 | 13% |
| 19 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 533 | 13% |
| 20 | Delaware | 961,939 | 122 | 13% |
Most common cities for production managers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laurel | 8 | 31% | $66,522 |
| 2 | Norwood | 7 | 24% | $84,122 |
| 3 | Burbank | 6 | 6% | $86,573 |
| 4 | Atlanta | 17 | 4% | $54,876 |
| 5 | Orlando | 10 | 4% | $58,691 |
| 6 | Cincinnati | 10 | 3% | $53,764 |
| 7 | Denver | 11 | 2% | $68,882 |
| 8 | Minneapolis | 7 | 2% | $61,549 |
| 9 | Boston | 9 | 1% | $84,332 |
| 10 | San Diego | 9 | 1% | $83,068 |
| 11 | Columbus | 8 | 1% | $56,396 |
| 12 | Jacksonville | 8 | 1% | $55,089 |
| 13 | Washington | 8 | 1% | $72,496 |
| 14 | Fresno | 6 | 1% | $91,173 |
| 15 | Los Angeles | 17 | 0% | $86,438 |
| 16 | New York | 13 | 0% | $80,529 |
| 17 | Chicago | 8 | 0% | $59,419 |
| 18 | Phoenix | 7 | 0% | $81,840 |
| 19 | Dallas | 6 | 0% | $71,516 |
| 20 | Houston | 6 | 0% | $73,279 |
Production Manager job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of production manager experts
Montgomery College
Miami Dade College
Webster University
Bethel University
R. Scott Hengen
Technical Theatre Faculty/Production CoordinatorMontgomery College
Department of Performing Arts
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Production Managers?
R. Scott Hengen: Yes. The virus has prompted the industry to look at the production process. How the process and performances can economize, and the performative aspects can be translated into a remotely viewed but still lively environment. While creative personnel may not meet in person, they could even collaborate, albeit remotely. While the production can always be artistic, the experience will be streamlined. This translates into an economization in staffing needs and production scale and an update to needs in technology and content.
Moreover, it has caused a reassessment of the performative aspects and the need to find ways for the communal experience to be still present while bridging the confining boundaries of a digital screen. When in-person performances reconvene and at some point, the introspection of this time will echo into a transformed aesthetic, both in production and performance. The theatre-going experience may not be as grand, but it may further reach a broader audience.
This discussion also coincides with a more paramount and possibly more compelling argument of whose voices we will hear as this analysis of performative aspects commences. We are experiencing a forceful re-evaluation of leadership and themes of stories untold and sounds unheard, of behavior unrecognized and impacts undervalued. The next few years will show that the theatre industry will be forever transformed as a representation of the underserved and unheard will gain prominence to the effect of empowering the disenfranchised. Over the next decade, we may find a predominance of the modern perspective or economized re-examination of classic tales in a contemporary light rather than the pure enjoyment of retold classics.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Production Managers?
Duane Summers: Even before the pandemic I was encouraging students to investigate the supporting roles of entertainment. Audio Engineers, Lighting Designers, Stage Technicians, Tour Managers, Production Managers are just a few of the positions that has always and will be in even more of a demand post Covid 19. Miami Dade College Music Business Degree, and the Certificate in Audio Technology is perfect for the young individual seeking a career in the music business.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Production Managers to find work opportunities?
Lara Teeter: Throw a rock over your shoulder and hit 20 in one throw! Literally, everywhere you turn, if you are hungry and smart, there is a place to find work. I like to use "Everything was Possible - the birth of the musical FOLLIES" by Ted Chapin as an example. He was in a position to fetch coffee for Hal Prince and Stephen Sondheim, and Michael Bennett. After so many years, he was chosen by the Rodgers and Hammerstein families to run their business. He's also the co-founder of ENCORES. There are many "good places" to find work. There are also some "not so good" places to work. A young actor's journey must encounter both so that as they mature in the business, they can, hopefully, begin to choose what places/directors/organizations that they prefer to work with as well as those they don't. Until that day, however, a job is a job. The MUNY, The Glimmerglass Opera, Goodspeed, Pittsburg Civic Light Opera, Wichita Summer Musicals, Lyric Theatre in Oklahoma City (these last two is where I got my start in the 1970s!), Barrington Stage, American Repertory Theatre, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, Alabama Shakespeare, Seattle Reparatory Theatre, Theatre Under the Stars in Houston, TX, Broadway Sacramento (formally California Musical Theatre)....the list goes on and on!
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.
Associate Provost - Innovation and Partnerships, Program Director/Professor, Ed.D. Leadership in Higher EducationBethel University
Education Leadership
What skills will help Production Managers earn the most?
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.: For educational leaders, I'm not convinced discrete skills equate to salary. Working hard and working well with others, with a disposition of humility and curiosity, is really powerful. Perhaps the combination of soft and hard skills gained through diverse experiences, positions, and institutional contexts results in the highest earning potential.