Production supervisor vs production leader

The differences between production supervisors 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 supervisor and a production leader. Additionally, a production supervisor has an average salary of $63,391, which is higher than the $44,563 average annual salary of a production leader.

The top three skills for a production supervisor include lean manufacturing, safety procedures and production schedules. The most important skills for a production leader are customer service, continuous improvement, and safety procedures.

Production supervisor vs production leader overview

	Production Supervisor	Production Leader
Yearly salary	$63,391	$44,563
Hourly rate	$30.48	$21.42
Growth rate	-	-
Number of jobs	83,529	107,578
Job satisfaction	4.33	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
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 a production leader do?

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 supervisor vs production leader salary

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

	Production Supervisor	Production Leader
Average salary	$63,391	$44,563
Salary range	Between $43,000 And $91,000	Between $31,000 And $63,000
Highest paying City	Fremont, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	California	New York
Best paying company	Intuitive Surgical	Meta
Best paying industry	Automotive	Technology

Differences between production supervisor and production leader education

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

	Production Supervisor	Production Leader
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Production supervisor vs production leader demographics

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

	Production Supervisor	Production Leader
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6%	Male, 70.6% Female, 29.4%
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, 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%

Differences between production supervisor and production leader 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.

Production leader example responsibilities.

Manage PC production line personnel.
Manage the operation of three alkalize systems from a PLC.
Manage employee's schedules, time off requests, vacation and payroll with the KRONOS time management software.
Maintain maximum yields in accordance with company policies and USDA food and safety guidelines.
Maintain the facilities organization, appearance, and cleanliness.
Operate and maintain general manufacturing equipment and perform production in accordance with QSR, ISO and establish written procedures.

Production supervisor vs production leader skills

Common production supervisor skills

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

Common production leader skills

Customer Service, 11%
Continuous Improvement, 7%
Safety Procedures, 6%
Quality Standards, 5%
Customer Orders, 5%
Production Process, 3%

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Production Supervisor vs Production Leader

Updated January 8, 2025

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