Tooling manager vs production manager

The differences between tooling managers and production managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a tooling manager and a production manager. Additionally, a tooling manager has an average salary of $118,897, which is higher than the $78,064 average annual salary of a production manager.

The top three skills for a tooling manager include project management, continuous improvement and CNC. The most important skills for a production manager are continuous improvement, customer service, and quality standards.

Tooling manager vs production manager overview

	Tooling Manager	Production Manager
Yearly salary	$118,897	$78,064
Hourly rate	$57.16	$37.53
Growth rate	10%	3%
Number of jobs	6,020	95,561
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	2	2

What does a tooling manager do?

A tooling manager is primarily responsible for overseeing information and data regarding tool systems. Although the extent of their responsibilities depends on their industry or place of employment, it typically includes setting objectives and guidelines, coordinating with staff to gather and analyze data, liaising with internal and external parties, tracking tool locations, and maintaining records. Moreover, a tooling manager typically works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for a smooth and efficient workflow.

What does a production manager do?

Production managers work in show business, whether in film, television shows, or theatre productions. They oversee the whole production and ensure that all agreements are met. They manage finances and budget allocation. They oversee the design of costumes and sets. They also manage the timeline of filming and ensure that the production or filming will finish within the agreed timeline. Production managers also ensure that all stakeholders are satisfied. They build meaningful working relationships with everyone involved, from directors to actors to crew members. They try to mitigate any potential challenges in the production budget and schedule.

Tooling manager vs production manager salary

Tooling managers and production managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Tooling Manager	Production Manager
Average salary	$118,897	$78,064
Salary range	Between $89,000 And $158,000	Between $50,000 And $120,000
Highest paying City	Cheyenne, WY	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Wyoming	Rhode Island
Best paying company	Meta	Cheniere Energy
Best paying industry	Automotive	Technology

Differences between tooling manager and production manager education

There are a few differences between a tooling manager and a production manager in terms of educational background:

	Tooling Manager	Production Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Tooling manager vs production manager demographics

Here are the differences between tooling managers' and production managers' demographics:

	Tooling Manager	Production Manager
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 89.5% Female, 10.5%	Male, 76.6% Female, 23.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 5.5% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between tooling manager and production manager duties and responsibilities

Tooling manager example responsibilities.

Manage fastener development and prototyping, and work to reduce cost across large part of fastener commodities.
Lead JSA prior to picking up tools to run in wellbore and to pulling out wellbore and laying down tools.
Supervise fishing operations and manage rig controls and risk analyses.
Manage daily operations of precision machining facility that produces components for the medical and aerospace industry.
Manage workflow and oversee strict cleanroom operations, assuring compliance with FDA specifications including labeling and packaging traceability.
Perform many duties including, manual machining, operation of CNC mills, lathes, sinker and wire EDM's.

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Production manager example responsibilities.

Lead a KAIZEN that save 220k in damages.
Manage lean sigma techniques and Kaizen events to reduce raw material and scrap costs.
Hire and manage crew and locations along with renting necessary film equipment and organizing shoot logistics.
Team member in setting up TPM method of measuring production (OEE), helping to achieve record production results.
Manage data reports, analyze and provide data to improve operational performance to include OEE, process reliability and labor optimization.
Manage production control group and supply replenishment logistics for the manufacturing division.

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Tooling manager vs production manager skills

Common tooling manager skills

Project Management, 21%
Continuous Improvement, 9%
CNC, 5%
CAD, 5%
Preventative Maintenance, 5%
Process Improvement, 5%

Common production manager skills

Continuous Improvement, 8%
Customer Service, 7%
Quality Standards, 6%
Safety Procedures, 6%
Lean Manufacturing, 6%
Production Supervisors, 6%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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