Operations Specialties Managers

How to become an Industrial Production Manager

Official title: Industrial Production Managers

Also called: Area Plant Manager, Assembly Manager, General Production Manager, Manufacturing Coordinator, Manufacturing Manager, Plant Manager, Product Line Manager, Production Control Manager, Production Manager, Sub Plant Manager

Plan, direct, or coordinate the work activities and resources necessary for manufacturing products in accordance with cost, quality, and quantity specifications.

Main tasks

Set and monitor product standards, examining samples of raw products or directing testing during processing, to ensure finished products are of prescribed quality.
Direct or coordinate production, processing, distribution, or marketing activities of industrial organizations.
Review processing schedules or production orders to make decisions concerning inventory requirements, staffing requirements, work procedures, or duty assignments, considering budgetary limitations and time constraints.
Review operations and confer with technical or administrative staff to resolve production or processing problems.
Hire, train, evaluate, or discharge staff or resolve personnel grievances.
Develop or implement production tracking or quality control systems, analyzing production, quality control, maintenance, or other operational reports to detect production problems.
Prepare and maintain production reports or personnel records.
Review plans and confer with research or support staff to develop new products or processes.

How to become one

Industrial production managers typically need a bachelor's degree and several years of related work experience.

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Wine Maker (Vinous Liquor).
College: Business & Commerce degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $126,060 a year The middle half earn $98,160 to $161,880.
About 252,100 people work in this job now, and about 258,600 are projected by 2035. (+2.6%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become an Industrial Production Manager?

Industrial production managers typically need a bachelor's degree and several years of related work experience.

How much does an Industrial Production Manager earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $126,060 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $98,160 to $161,880.

Is an Industrial Production Manager a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 3% by 2035, from about 252,100 to about 258,600 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become an Industrial Production Manager?

Not always. 50% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Business & Commerce degrees; Wine Maker (Vinous Liquor).

Will AI change the work of an Industrial Production Manager?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

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.