# Biofuels Production Managers

> Manage biofuels production and plant operations. Collect and process information on plant production and performance, diagnose problems, and design corrective procedures.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/biofuels-production-managers
- SOC code: 11-3051.03
- Career family: Management
- Median annual pay: $126,060 (10th percentile $78,000, 90th percentile $205,520)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +2.6%
- Openings a year: 17,000
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections
- Pay and outlook are for the broader BLS group "Industrial production managers".

## Interest profile (code ECR)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 60 |
| Investigative (I) | 46 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 14 |
| Enterprising (E) | 74 |
| Conventional (C) | 68 |

## What you'd do

- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 84/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 84/100)
- Getting Information (importance 80/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 80/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 76/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 76/100)
- Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates (importance 76/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 72/100)
- Training and Teaching Others (importance 72/100)
- Developing and Building Teams (importance 71/100)

## Skills

Critical Thinking, Management of Personnel Resources, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Monitoring, Coordination, Speaking, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management, Writing

## Knowledge

Production and Processing, Administration and Management, Mechanical, Chemistry, Engineering and Technology, Mathematics, Computers and Electronics, Personnel and Human Resources, Physics, Administrative

## Also called

Biodiesel Operations Manager, Biodiesel Plant Manager, Biodiesel Plant Superintendent, Biofuels Operations Manager, Biofuels Plant Manager, Biofuels Plant Superintendent, Biofuels Production Manager, Ethanol Operations Manager, Industrial Manager, Industrial Production Manager

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Business Administration, Management and Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5202) (CIP 5202, 2,372 colleges)
- [Business/Commerce, General](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5201) (CIP 5201, 975 colleges)
- [Engineering-Related Fields](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1515) (CIP 1515, 230 colleges)
- [Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5120) (CIP 5120, 175 colleges)
- [Industrial Engineering](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1435) (CIP 1435, 151 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/carnegie-mellon-university-406) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $97,419 | $160,783 | $19,000 |
| [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor-main-campus-2956) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $96,806 | $144,654 | $19,500 |
| [University of California-Berkeley CAL](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-berkeley-cal-2881) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $94,811 | $144,599 | $10,656 |
| [Northeastern University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northeastern-university-1923) | Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | not reported | $142,985 | $21,908 |
| [Northwestern University-Illinois](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northwestern-university-illinois-1966) | Industrial Engineering | $95,993 | $138,720 | $13,992 |
| [Long Island University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/long-island-university-1520) | Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | not reported | $136,840 | not reported |
| [University of Pennsylvania UPENN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pennsylvania-upenn-3009) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $108,743 | $136,806 | $19,250 |
| [Emory University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/emory-university-main-campus-916) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $87,830 | $136,731 | $15,000 |

## Related careers

- [Biofuels Processing Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/biofuels-processing-technicians): $62,470 median pay
- [Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/biofuels-biodiesel-technology-and-product-development-managers): $171,270 median pay
- [Biomass Power Plant Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/biomass-power-plant-managers): $126,060 median pay
- [Geothermal Production Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/geothermal-production-managers): $126,060 median pay
- [Biomass Plant Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/biomass-plant-technicians): $102,040 median pay
- [Hydroelectric Production Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/hydroelectric-production-managers): $126,060 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

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. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.