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

Q: How long does it take to become a Production Supervisor?

It takes 7 years of professional experience to become a production supervisor. That is the time it takes to learn specific production supervisor skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 10 to 12 years years to become a production supervisor.

Q: How many years does it take to become a supervisor?

It takes three to five years to become a supervisor. Factors such as educational background and industry all impact how quickly one can progress to a supervisor role. Becoming a production supervisor in the manufacturing industry, for instance, requires an associate degree or equivalent experience and around five years of leadership experience in a warehouse or manufacturing environment. You may need to start at a lower-level management position, such as a shift supervisor, before rising to a production supervisor level.

Q: How much does a production supervisor make a year?

A production supervisor makes $72,223 a year. However, the range typically falls between $60,753 a year and $86,493 a year. Factors such as the company you work for and location can impact how much a production supervisor can make.

Q: What are the qualifications of a production supervisor?

The qualifications of a production supervisor are a high school diploma and at least three years of leadership experience in a warehouse or manufacturing environment. However, some employers may require an associate's or bachelor's degree for the position, but many manufacturing companies only require a high school diploma for production supervisor positions. A bachelor's degree or even an associate's degree in business management or a related field can improve your chances.

Q: What is the role of a production supervisor?

The role of a production supervisor is to manage a diverse and talented manufacturing team. A production supervisor's role is primarily to properly organize staff members and achieve a good workflow throughout the day.

What is a production supervisor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A production supervisor oversees the manufacturing process in a factory or plant, ensuring that it runs smoothly and efficiently. They are responsible for supervising workers, scheduling production, and ensuring that products meet quality standards. They also manage inventory levels, track production metrics, and troubleshoot any issues that arise. They must be knowledgeable about manufacturing processes, safety regulations, and personnel management. Good communication skills are critical to maintaining relationships with employees, management, and other departments.

ScoreProduction SupervisorUS Average

Salary

5.0

Avg. Salary $63,391

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

4.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.71%

Asian 4.97%

Black or African American 11.94%

Hispanic or Latino 17.08%

Unknown 4.14%

White 61.17%

Gender

female 16.56%

male 83.44%

Age - 47

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 - 47

Stress level

8.1

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.1

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.3

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a production supervisor?

Pros

Opportunities for career advancement
Exposure to a variety of manufacturing processes and equipment
Chance to work with and lead a diverse team
Opportunity to develop leadership and management skills
Access to training and development programs

Cons

High levels of responsibility and accountability
Exposure to safety hazards in the manufacturing environment
Difficulty in finding the right balance between being a boss and being a friend/colleague to workers
Need to constantly adapt to changes in technology, regulations, and market demand
Potential for conflicts with workers or colleagues due to differences in opinion or approach.

Key steps to become a production supervisor

Explore production supervisor education requirements

Most common production supervisor degrees

Bachelor's

53.9 %

Associate

21.1 %

High School Diploma

13.1 %

Start to develop specific production supervisor skills

Skills	Percentages
Lean Manufacturing	9.38%
Safety Procedures	6.35%
Production Schedules	5.90%
Quality Standards	4.78%
Customer Service	4.37%

Complete relevant production supervisor training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New production supervisors 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 supervisor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real production supervisor resumes.

Gain additional production supervisor certifications

Production supervisor certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific production supervisor certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for production supervisors include Six Sigma Green Belt and OSHA Safety Certificate .

More About Certifications

Research production supervisor duties and responsibilities

Manage an run extruders an injection molds.
Utilize MRP system to monitor and manage raw material and finish goods inventory.
Manage employee's schedules, time off requests, vacation and payroll with the KRONOS time management software.
Manage departments responsible for beginning raw material production process using automate CNC control plasma cutting machines.

Prepare your production supervisor resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your production supervisor 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 supervisor 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 supervisor resume templates

Build a professional production supervisor 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 supervisor resume.

Apply for production supervisor jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a production supervisor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do production supervisors rate their job?

4.33/5

Based on 6 ratings

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Production supervisor reviews

5.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2022

Pros

Being able to create a work environment where people flourish, come together, build good relationships form positive teamwork, watching work flow smoothly, reaching or exceeding goals, and be accountable. 2. An opportunity to learn shop floor activities technically and also to develop managerial skills.

Cons

When my children were young and still in school, I didn't like not having a work-life balance to be with the family. But now my family is grown up with there own families.

4.0

A zippia user wrote a review on May 2020

Pros

I like getting to know the company's operation and running numbers to see what opportunities there are for improvement.

Cons

I don't dislike anything about supervising, however the most difficult part of this position for me was managing people. This is a challenge when turnover rates are high.

A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020

Pros

Helping people on the production line and being able to move around.

Cons

Slow workers

Production supervisor FAQs

What is a production supervisor and how to become one

What are the pros and cons of being a production supervisor?

Production supervisor career paths

Key steps to become a production supervisor

Explore production supervisor education requirements

Most common production supervisor degrees

Start to develop specific production supervisor skills

Complete relevant production supervisor training and internships

Gain additional production supervisor certifications

Research production supervisor duties and responsibilities

Prepare your production supervisor resume

Choose from 10+ customizable production supervisor resume templates

Apply for production supervisor jobs

How did you land your first production supervisor job

Average production supervisor salary

How do production supervisors rate their job?

Production supervisor reviews

Production supervisor FAQs

How long does it take to become a Production Supervisor?

How many years does it take to become a supervisor?

How much does a production supervisor make a year?

What are the qualifications of a production supervisor?

What is the role of a production supervisor?

Search for production supervisor jobs

Production supervisor jobs by state