Who Earns What

How much does a factory supervisor make?

US First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
$74,450

a year · about $36 an hour

A typical factory supervisor in the United States makes $74,450 a year, about $36 an hour, about 1.5× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

What do they do?

Each day, they check the production plan, assign workers, and walk the line to spot faulty products or machines. They coach workers on safety, solve slowdowns with the team, and record what was made and whether it met quality rules.

Did you know? O*NET reports that 92% of surveyed production supervisors wear safety gear, such as safety shoes or hearing protection, every day.

Is that a lot?

Compared with jobs you know
This job$74,450
Typical worker$50,980
Elementary teacher$63,970
Doctor$244,180
Cashier$32,880

If 100 people had this job

Most earn between $47,130 and $108,750
49 of 100
not many

How do you become one?

In the U.S., most production supervisors have a high school diploma and build experience in manufacturing before leading a team. Vocational classes or an associate degree can help, and new supervisors learn on the job with experienced workers.

School needed: Vocational school or a few years' experience

Good for people who like leading and selling and keeping things organized

Why does pay differ?

In the United States, pay can differ with experience, skills, useful certificates, the industry or employer, and the factory’s location. Jobs with more complex tasks or greater responsibility may also pay differently.

Where does it pay most?

Highest in Wyoming ($90,390), lowest in Arkansas ($63,090).

See every state
Whole US$74,450
Wyoming$90,390
Connecticut$83,150
Rhode Island$81,650
New Jersey$81,110
Massachusetts$79,920
New Mexico$64,640
Florida$63,950
Arkansas$63,090

Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.

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Who earns more?
Data table and sources
Factory supervisor pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread) — Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lower earner (10th from bottom)Typical person (median)Higher earner (10th from top)People in this job
$47,130$74,450$108,750about 673,000
States where factory supervisors earn the most (median, May 2025)
StateTypical person (median)People in this job
Wyoming$90,390about 1,000
Connecticut$83,150about 9,000
Rhode Island$81,650about 3,000
New Jersey$81,110about 15,000
Massachusetts$79,920about 12,000

Official definition: 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.

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine

Pages used for the text

Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY