Production supervisor vs operation supervisor

The differences between production supervisors and operation supervisors 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 supervisor and an operation supervisor. Additionally, a production supervisor has an average salary of $63,391, which is higher than the $57,279 average annual salary of an operation supervisor.

The top three skills for a production supervisor include lean manufacturing, safety procedures and production schedules. The most important skills for an operation supervisor are logistics, safety procedures, and OSHA.

Production supervisor vs operation supervisor overview

	Production Supervisor	Operation Supervisor
Yearly salary	$63,391	$57,279
Hourly rate	$30.48	$27.54
Growth rate	-	6%
Number of jobs	83,529	94,116
Job satisfaction	4.33	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	2	2

What does a production supervisor do?

Production supervisors are employees who oversee the production process, usually handling activities directly related to people management. They manage employees by ensuring that the production floor employees are doing their work well and are motivated. Production supervisors guide employees and ensure that everyone is working towards company goals. They properly communicate these goals as well as the strategies to meet the set goals. Production supervisors have a direct hand in the hiring and subsequent training of employees. They should have good communication skills, decision-making skills, and leadership skills.

What does an operation supervisor do?

Operations supervisors manage a specific operations-related team or department. They ensure that all the agreed-upon key performance indicators are being met. They also address any performance challenges and strategize on how to improve different areas in the team. They communicate team goals and balance the organization's requirements with the team's profile. Operations supervisors also manage the employees under their department. They hire for vacancies and train new employees. They also ensure that employees are properly coached for improvement. Operations supervisors are expected to be strategic, personable, and good communicators.

Production supervisor vs operation supervisor salary

Production supervisors and operation supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Production Supervisor	Operation Supervisor
Average salary	$63,391	$57,279
Salary range	Between $43,000 And $91,000	Between $37,000 And $87,000
Highest paying City	Fremont, CA	Kansas City, KS
Highest paying state	California	Louisiana
Best paying company	Intuitive Surgical	Ropes & Gray
Best paying industry	Automotive	Finance

Differences between production supervisor and operation supervisor education

There are a few differences between a production supervisor and an operation supervisor in terms of educational background:

	Production Supervisor	Operation Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Production supervisor vs operation supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between production supervisors' and operation supervisors' demographics:

	Production Supervisor	Operation Supervisor
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6%	Male, 70.8% Female, 29.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 5.0% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 4.6% White, 59.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between production supervisor and operation supervisor duties and responsibilities

Production supervisor example 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.
Lead targeted decision-making across fast-pace production operations for this growth-orient USDA food factory producing quality meat products.
Manage manufacturing department operations to ensure compliance with establish quality specifications, production levels, and FDA regulations.

Operation supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage labor and operating expenses to meet budget goals by utilizing KRONOS.
Manage the safety, quality, productivity, OEE, yields, & continuous improvement.
Manage the proper preparation of equipment for mechanical work as well as proper utilization of LOTO system.
Serve as member of HAZMAT team and manage all training, orientation and safety programs for entire facility.
Manage all inbound and outbound of product/inventory, and keep accurate counts in AS400 P.K.M.S warehouse management software.
Manage daily activities of up to 15 staff and up to 50 students at youth rehabilitation boarding facility.

Production supervisor vs operation supervisor skills

Common production supervisor skills

Lean Manufacturing, 9%
Safety Procedures, 6%
Production Schedules, 6%
Quality Standards, 5%
Customer Service, 4%
ISO, 4%

Common operation supervisor skills

Logistics, 7%
Safety Procedures, 7%
OSHA, 6%
Payroll, 5%
Customer Satisfaction, 5%
Continuous Improvement, 4%

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Production Supervisor vs Operation Supervisor

Updated January 8, 2025

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