Production Supervisor: career path and pay in the US
Where a Production Supervisor goes next, what each step typically pays in the United States, and how exposed the path is to AI replacement. 3 steps, from Production Supervisor to Production Manager / Manufacturing Manager.
Also for the United Kingdom: Production Supervisor in the UK
The path
Step 1 · 3 to 7 years
Production Supervisor
$60K to $90K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Supervisory Skills Certification (optional) - Global, Manufacturing Safety Certification (required) - Global, Health & Safety Certification (required) - Global.
Step 2 · 7 to 12 years
Senior Production Supervisor
$75K to $110K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Supervisory Skills Certification - Global, Manufacturing Safety Certification - Global, Health & Safety Certification - Global, Manufacturing Management Certification (optional) - Global.
Step 3 · 12+ years
Production Manager / Manufacturing Manager
$85K to $125K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Supervisory Skills Certification - Global, Manufacturing Safety Certification - Global, Health & Safety Certification - Global, Manufacturing Management Certification - Global.
Exposure and pay along the path
Exposure to AI, now to later
24% → 24%
Stays level across the path. Lower is better.
Typical pay, now to later
$60K to $90K → $85K to $125K
US estimates by job title, Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale US. The published figure for Production Manager sat below the previous step, so this band is set 12% above it.
What the work involves
Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of production and operating workers, such as inspectors, precision workers, machine setters and operators, assemblers, fabricators, and plant and system operators. Excludes team or work leaders.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
Knowledge areas
- Production and Processing
- Administration and Management
- Personnel and Human Resources
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
Education people bring
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED): 33%
- Some College Courses: 15%
- Less than a High School Diploma: 14%
Job Zone 3, job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Other paths from here
- Production Manager
- Manufacturing Manager
- Operations Manager
- General Manager
More Manufacturing/Warehouse paths in the US
Related occupations in O*NET: First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers, First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers, First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand, First-Line Supervisors of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators, First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers.
Your own role
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SourcesSalary bands: Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale US, US national averages by job title, retrieved September 2026Skills, knowledge and education: O*NET 31.0 Database
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CC BY 4.0
Salary estimates by job title from Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale, retrieved September 2026. Each band runs from 20% below to 20% above the reported average, rounded to $5K. Exposure percentages and the skills listed under each step are this app's own editorial ratings, not published data.