Top Skills for This Career
BLS identifies these as the three highest-rated skills for this detailed occupation. TrustInEd adds the plain-language explanations so visitors understand what each skill means.
Identifying problems, considering possible solutions, and choosing appropriate actions.
Adjusting effectively when priorities, conditions, tools, or expectations change.
Guiding people or projects, setting direction, taking responsibility, and helping others succeed.
How Do You Prepare for This Career?
BLS describes the typical preparation for this occupation. Requirements can vary by employer, state, licensing rules and individual circumstances.
How to Become One
How to Become an Industrial Production Manager Industrial production managers need leadership and interpersonal skills to supervise manufacturing employees. Industrial production managers typically need a bachelor’s degree and several years of related work experience.
Education
Employers typically require or prefer that industrial production managers have a bachelor’s degree. However, some workers qualify for jobs if they have a high school diploma and extensive production experience. For workers who have a degree, common majors include business and engineering. Some employers prefer to hire industrial production managers who have a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or a graduate degree in industrial management. Work Experience in a Related Occupation Industrial production managers usually need years of work experience in supervisory or other leadership positions. Some begin as production workers and move up through the ranks. Industrial production workers usually advance to supervisory or other leadership positions before eventually becoming industrial production managers. Some take company-sponsored management classes to increase their chances of a promotion. Those with a college degree might begin as a supervisor or lower-level manager. Other college graduates may be hired as an industrial production manager and complete
Training
programs. Some begin working as an industrial production manager directly after college or graduate school. They may spend their first few months in training programs, becoming familiar with the production process, company policies, and safety regulations. In large companies, they may spend short periods of time working in other departments, such as purchasing or accounting, to learn more about the company.
Licenses, Certifications & Registrations
Although they are not required to do so, industrial production managers may earn certifications to demonstrate competency in quality or management systems. Because these credentials often require specific work experience, they typically are not available prior to entering the occupation. Information on certifications is available from CareerOneStop.
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Pay
the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980.
Job Outlook
Job Outlook Employment of industrial production managers is projected to grow 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 17,000 openings for industrial production managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. Employment Industrial production managers will continue to be needed in manufacturing and other industries. However, in some industries with declining employment, fewer of these managers may be needed. Industrial Production Managers Percent change in employment, projected 2025–35 Operations specialties managers 9% Total, all occupations 3% Industrial production managers 3% Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
What They Do
What Industrial Production Managers Do
Industrial production managers oversee the operations of manufacturing and related plants. They coordinate, plan, and direct activities involved in creating a range of goods, such as cars, computer equipment, and paper products.
Duties
Industrial production managers typically do the following:
- Decide how best to use a plant’s workers and equipment to meet production goals
- Ensure that production stays on schedule and within budget
- Communicate with sales staff, customers, and suppliers
- Hire, train, and evaluate workers
- Analyze production data
- Review production reports
- Monitor a plant’s workers and programs to ensure they meet performance and safety requirements
- Streamline the production process
- Assess whether production needs, such as for equipment upgrades or overtime work, are within budget
- Lead staff in resolving problems or improving production
Industrial production managers, also called plant managers, may oversee an entire manufacturing plant or a specific area of production.
Some industrial production managers are responsible for carrying out quality control programs to make sure the finished product meets standards for quality. Often called quality control systems managers, their work helps to identify a defect in products, identify the cause of the defect, and solve the problem that created it. For example, a manager may determine that a defect is being caused by parts from an outside supplier. The manager can then work with the supplier to improve the quality of the parts.
Industrial production managers who oversee an entire plant often work closely with managers from other departments, such as sales, warehousing, and research and design. For example, they might coordinate with a manager for the procurement (buying) department about orders for supplies that the production department needs.
Work Environment
Work Environment
Industrial production managers held about 252,100 jobs in 2025. The largest employers of industrial production managers were as follows:
| Transportation equipment manufacturing | 10% |
| Fabricated metal product manufacturing | 9 |
| Chemical manufacturing | 9 |
| Food manufacturing | 8 |
| Machinery manufacturing | 7 |
Industrial production managers spend some of their time in an office and some of it in the production area. When they are in the production area, they may need to wear protective equipment, such as a helmet, hearing protection, or safety goggles.
Work Schedules
Most industrial production managers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. They may need to be on call to deal with emergencies at any time. Some industrial production managers work night or weekend shifts.
Important Qualities
The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page. Business skills. Industrial production managers handle budgets for production facilities, hire and manage staff, and coordinate work between different departments. Interpersonal skills. Industrial production managers must have excellent communication skills to work well other managers and with staff. Some industrial production managers oversee customer relationships. Leadership skills. To keep the production process running smoothly, industrial production managers must motivate and direct employees. Organizational skills. Industrial production managers must keep track of many details to efficiently manage the operations of a production facility. Problem-solving skills. Production managers must identify and address problems that arise. For example, if a product has a defect, the manager determines whether it is a one-time problem or the result of the production process.
More Information
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about industrial production managers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
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Start with ED →Career data and occupational profile text are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections program. Education requirements are typical entry-level requirements and may vary by employer, state, occupation or individual circumstance. View the official BLS profile.