Production
First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
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.
Median pay
$74,450
Growth to 2035
+2%
little or no change
Openings a year
61,000
Time to qualify*
2 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- Less than 5 years
Calculate your switch to first-line supervisors of production and operating workers
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
First-line supervisors of production and operating workers: 83% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core 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.
Also called: Assembly Supervisor · Line Supervisor · Manufacturing Supervisor · Molding Supervisor · Plant Supervisor · Production Manager · Production Supervisor · Quality Assurance Supervisor (QA Supervisor)
Outlook and AI
First-line supervisors of production and operating workers held 679,900 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 692,300 by 2035 (+2%, little or no change; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- First-line supervisors of production and operating workers vs. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- First-line supervisors of production and operating workers vs. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- First-line supervisors of production and operating workers vs. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- First-line supervisors of production and operating workers vs. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- First-line supervisors of production and operating workers vs. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- First-line supervisors of production and operating workers vs. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- First-line supervisors of production and operating workers vs. First-line supervisor of security workers