First-line supervisors of production and operating workers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,130 | $22.66 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $74,450 | $35.79 |
| Mean (average) | $76,600 | $36.83 |
| 90th percentile | $108,750 | $52.28 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
First-line supervisors of production and operating workers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $73,060 | $45,340 | $111,540 | 20,670 | 2.26 |
| Alaska | $77,960 | $42,220 | $128,010 | 1,110 | 0.79 |
| Arizona | $75,330 | $48,860 | $104,900 | 8,720 | 0.62 |
| Arkansas | $63,090 | $43,180 | $106,600 | 11,000 | 1.95 |
| California | $76,840 | $47,530 | $125,440 | 48,550 | 0.62 |
| Colorado | $78,890 | $50,890 | $127,960 | 9,580 | 0.77 |
| Connecticut | $83,150 | $49,660 | $123,060 | 9,150 | 1.25 |
| Delaware | $79,100 | $54,120 | $123,100 | 1,450 | 0.69 |
| District of Columbia | $80,030 | $52,670 | $139,690 | 350 | 0.11 |
| Florida | $63,950 | $44,140 | $105,400 | 27,710 | 0.64 |
| Georgia | $69,170 | $45,680 | $102,960 | 26,190 | 1.24 |
| Guam | $57,440 | $31,670 | $120,850 | 110 | 0.37 |
| Hawaii | $71,990 | $46,640 | $125,620 | 1,500 | 0.55 |
| Idaho | $70,890 | $48,020 | $102,900 | 3,900 | 1.05 |
| Illinois | $75,200 | $47,280 | $103,410 | 29,640 | 1.12 |
| Indiana | $73,950 | $48,110 | $101,540 | 26,870 | 1.94 |
| Iowa | $74,750 | $48,210 | $100,000 | 10,130 | 1.5 |
| Kansas | $74,480 | $49,290 | $104,450 | 7,980 | 1.28 |
| Kentucky | $72,490 | $45,560 | $104,810 | 13,820 | 1.6 |
| Louisiana | $77,520 | $46,670 | $147,440 | 9,350 | 1.12 |
| Maine | $78,970 | $48,340 | $106,130 | 2,970 | 1.07 |
| Maryland | $78,520 | $47,270 | $124,330 | 6,100 | 0.51 |
| Massachusetts | $79,920 | $52,530 | $114,800 | 12,390 | 0.79 |
| Michigan | $72,170 | $47,330 | $101,770 | 26,650 | 1.4 |
| Minnesota | $78,550 | $56,660 | $104,080 | 13,380 | 1.05 |
| Mississippi | $68,720 | $44,990 | $107,060 | 8,230 | 1.63 |
| Missouri | $73,210 | $46,230 | $99,020 | 15,430 | 1.21 |
| Montana | $68,760 | $45,820 | $108,800 | 1,860 | 0.84 |
| Nebraska | $72,200 | $48,870 | $100,770 | 6,040 | 1.36 |
| Nevada | $68,270 | $45,200 | $104,360 | 3,600 | 0.54 |
| New Hampshire | $79,310 | $52,800 | $118,100 | 3,000 | 1.01 |
| New Jersey | $81,110 | $48,560 | $124,370 | 15,040 | 0.81 |
| New Mexico | $64,640 | $41,600 | $126,870 | 2,520 | 0.67 |
| New York | $78,580 | $50,400 | $118,680 | 20,830 | 0.5 |
| North Carolina | $69,640 | $45,960 | $101,030 | 22,240 | 1.04 |
| North Dakota | $76,350 | $52,450 | $129,200 | 1,650 | 0.89 |
| Ohio | $72,160 | $48,320 | $99,960 | 31,980 | 1.33 |
| Oklahoma | $70,000 | $44,450 | $114,520 | 9,570 | 1.29 |
| Oregon | $73,580 | $49,790 | $102,190 | 8,180 | 0.96 |
| Pennsylvania | $74,990 | $47,640 | $102,390 | 28,900 | 1.1 |
| Puerto Rico | $45,100 | $29,300 | $83,560 | 4,030 | 0.99 |
| Rhode Island | $81,650 | $48,080 | $133,180 | 2,660 | 1.22 |
| South Carolina | $77,500 | $49,720 | $103,440 | 14,570 | 1.46 |
| South Dakota | $73,040 | $55,120 | $94,760 | 1,930 | 0.97 |
| Tennessee | $65,310 | $44,070 | $103,710 | 18,960 | 1.33 |
| Texas | $70,140 | $43,360 | $115,230 | 58,930 | 0.97 |
| Utah | $71,220 | $47,620 | $106,720 | 9,040 | 1.2 |
| Vermont | $75,540 | $50,080 | $100,560 | 1,000 | 0.76 |
| Virgin Islands | $57,190 | $37,890 | $99,500 | 60 | 0.41 |
| Virginia | $74,150 | $45,210 | $108,780 | 13,530 | 0.76 |
| Washington | $79,310 | $55,020 | $122,830 | 14,500 | 0.94 |
| West Virginia | $68,990 | $45,970 | $118,510 | 3,120 | 1.03 |
| Wisconsin | $74,840 | $50,690 | $101,750 | 25,500 | 2 |
| Wyoming | $90,390 | $48,710 | $142,980 | 1,470 | 1.21 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for first-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 61,000. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.7%.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for first-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Operations Management and Supervision CIP 52.0205
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Enforce safety and sanitation regulations.
- Keep records of employees' attendance and hours worked.
- Inspect materials, products, or equipment to detect defects or malfunctions.
- Read and analyze charts, work orders, production schedules, and other records and reports to determine production requirements and to evaluate current production estimates and outputs.
- Plan and establish work schedules, assignments, and production sequences to meet production goals.
- Confer with other supervisors to coordinate operations and activities within or between departments.
- Interpret specifications, blueprints, job orders, and company policies and procedures for workers.
- Observe work and monitor gauges, dials, and other indicators to ensure that operators conform to production or processing standards.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- SAP software (in demand)
- Apple Safari (hot technology)
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Extensible markup language XML (hot technology)
- Kronos Workforce Timekeeper (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Mozilla Firefox (hot technology)
- Apple iWork Pages
- Aptean Made2Manage
Transferable skills for career changers: Time Management, Management of Personnel Resources, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving.
Common job titles: Assembly Supervisor, Line Supervisor, Manufacturing Supervisor, Molding Supervisor, Plant Supervisor, Production Manager, Production Supervisor, Quality Assurance Supervisor (QA Supervisor).
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do first-line supervisors of production and operating workers make?
The national median annual wage for first-line supervisors of production and operating workers was $74,450 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $47,130 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $108,750. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do first-line supervisors of production and operating workers need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with less than 5 years of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is first-line supervisors of production and operating workers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of first-line supervisors of production and operating workers to change +1.8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 61,000 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay first-line supervisors of production and operating workers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Wyoming ($90,390), Connecticut ($83,150), Rhode Island ($81,650). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.