Production supervisor vs shop supervisor

The differences between production supervisors and shop 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 a shop supervisor. Additionally, a production supervisor has an average salary of $63,391, which is higher than the $50,689 average annual salary of a shop supervisor.

The top three skills for a production supervisor include lean manufacturing, safety procedures and production schedules. The most important skills for a shop supervisor are customer service, safety procedures, and preventative maintenance.

Production supervisor vs shop supervisor overview

	Production Supervisor	Shop Supervisor
Yearly salary	$63,391	$50,689
Hourly rate	$30.48	$24.37
Growth rate	-	4%
Number of jobs	83,529	35,924
Job satisfaction	4.33	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 31%
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 shop supervisor do?

A shop supervisor is responsible for monitoring the overall operations of a store, delegating tasks to the shop personnel, and ensuring the highest quality service to the customers for their satisfaction. Shop supervisors handle the sales inventory and process bank transactions every closing. They also negotiate contracts with suppliers and third-party vendors, receive proof of shipments, maintain an organized record of deliveries, and implement marketing strategies to boost brand awareness and generate more revenues to increase profitability.

Production supervisor vs shop supervisor salary

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

	Production Supervisor	Shop Supervisor
Average salary	$63,391	$50,689
Salary range	Between $43,000 And $91,000	Between $30,000 And $84,000
Highest paying City	Fremont, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	California	Delaware
Best paying company	Intuitive Surgical	TechnipFMC
Best paying industry	Automotive	Energy

Differences between production supervisor and shop supervisor education

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

	Production Supervisor	Shop Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Production supervisor vs shop supervisor demographics

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

	Production Supervisor	Shop Supervisor
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6%	Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9%
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, 12.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between production supervisor and shop 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.

Shop supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage and supervise CNC operators.
Supervise and work in a fabrication shop, fabricate conveyors, MIG and TIG welding, and operate end mill.
Procure aerospace alloys and materials as well as all consumables.
Design medical, kitchen, and woodworking products using SolidWorks.
Follow instructions given by supervisor to ensure products are being meet to QA and USDA.
Start out as a welder (MIG, TIG) and move up to shop supervisor.

Production supervisor vs shop supervisor skills

Common production supervisor skills

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

Common shop supervisor skills

Customer Service, 26%
Safety Procedures, 10%
Preventative Maintenance, 6%
Parts Inventory, 6%
OSHA, 4%
Equipment Maintenance, 3%

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Production Supervisor vs Shop Supervisor

Updated January 8, 2025

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