How much does a factory manager make?
a year · about $61 an hour
A typical factory manager in the United States makes $126,060 a year, about $61 an hour, about 2.5× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They check production schedules and reports, then walk the factory floor to see if workers and machines are safe and on target. They adjust people or equipment, solve quality problems, and keep work on schedule and within budget.
Did you know? A factory manager can play product detective: if a part causes a defect, they may trace it to an outside supplier and work with them to fix it.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $78,000 and $205,520How do you become one?
In the US, factory managers often earn a bachelor’s degree in engineering or business and gain years of factory experience. Some start as production workers and advance to supervisor jobs; quality or management certificates are optional.
School needed: Usually a bachelor's degree
Good for people who like leading and selling and keeping things organized
Why does pay differ?
In the US, pay can vary with experience, responsibility for a whole plant versus one area, and the manufacturing industry and location. Some jobs require on-call nights or weekends; optional quality or management certificates can show skills, but they are not required.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Massachusetts ($148,050), lowest in Iowa ($106,510).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $78,000 | $126,060 | $205,520 | about 246,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $148,050 | about 4,000 |
| New Jersey | $147,260 | about 7,000 |
| New Hampshire | $146,590 | about 2,000 |
| Washington | $145,210 | about 5,000 |
| Colorado | $141,020 | about 2,000 |
Official definition: Plan, direct, or coordinate the work activities and resources necessary for manufacturing products in accordance with cost, quality, and quantity specifications.
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
- www.bls.gov/ooh/management/industrial-production-managers.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/11-3051.00
- www.bls.gov/oes/
- www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Wages/find-salary.aspx?dataview=table&hourly=False
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY