Senior manufacturing manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a senior manufacturing manager. Senior manufacturing managers usually study business, mechanical engineering, or electrical engineering. 67% of senior manufacturing managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 703 real senior manufacturing manager resumes to see exactly what senior manufacturing manager education sections show.

The most common colleges for senior manufacturing managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online senior manufacturing manager courses to help get the education required to be a senior manufacturing manager.

There are certain senior manufacturing manager certifications that you should consider. These senior manufacturing manager certifications include Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) and Six Sigma Green Belt.

What education do you need to become a senior manufacturing manager?

What degree do you need to be a senior manufacturing manager?

The most common degree for senior manufacturing managers is bachelor's degree, with 67% of senior manufacturing managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 19% and master's degree degree at 9%.

Bachelor's, 67%

Master's, 19%

Associate, 9%

Doctorate, 2%

Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a senior manufacturing manager?

You should major in business to become a senior manufacturing manager. 26% of senior manufacturing managers major in business. Other common majors for a senior manufacturing manager include mechanical engineering and electrical engineering.

Business, 26%

Mechanical Engineering, 9%

Electrical Engineering, 8%

Industrial Engineering, 7%

Other Majors, 50%

Most common colleges for senior manufacturing managers

Senior manufacturing managers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, San Jose State University, and Purdue University. Here are the most common colleges for senior manufacturing managers in the US based on their resumes.

Senior manufacturing manager common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	16.07%
San Jose State University	8.04%
Purdue University	8.04%
Michigan State University	6.25%
Northeastern University	6.25%

Show more common senior manufacturing manager colleges

Best majors for senior manufacturing managers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	26.4%
2	Mechanical Engineering	9.3%
3	Electrical Engineering	8.0%
4	Industrial Engineering	6.9%
5	Chemistry	6.4%

Show more common senior manufacturing manager majors

Best colleges for senior manufacturing managers

The best colleges for senior manufacturing managers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins University.

A senior manufacturing manager with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for senior manufacturing managers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become senior manufacturing managers.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Enrollment

31,321

7. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,620

Enrollment

27,730

8. SUNY at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$10,099

Enrollment

21,404

9. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

10. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$52,930

Enrollment

5,030

20 best online courses for senior manufacturing managers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for senior manufacturing managers

The most affordable schools for senior manufacturing managers are University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez, suny farmingdale, and usf sarasota-manatee.

If the best universities for senior manufacturing managers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for senior manufacturing managers.

1. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

4. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,368

Cost of attendance

21,034

7. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

8. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

9. California State University - Northridge

Northridge, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,893

Cost of attendance

18,870

10. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for senior manufacturing managers

The hardest universities for senior manufacturing managers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins University.

Some great schools for senior manufacturing managers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for senior manufacturing managers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

3. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

6. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

9. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,380

10. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for senior manufacturing managers

The easiest schools for senior manufacturing managers to get into are D'Youville College, university of the incarnate word, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a senior manufacturing manager without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for senior manufacturing managers.

1. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

2. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

5. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

6. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

7. Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Kingsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,035

8. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

9. Life University

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

10. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

Average senior manufacturing manager salary by education level

Senior manufacturing managers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $189,887 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, senior manufacturing managers earn a median annual income of $163,524 compared to $141,017 for senior manufacturing managers with an Associate degree.

Senior manufacturing manager education level	Senior manufacturing manager salary
Master's Degree	$189,887
High School Diploma or Less	$130,369
Bachelor's Degree	$163,524
Some College/ Associate Degree	$141,017

Senior manufacturing manager education FAQs

What is the best college for Senior Manufacturing Managers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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