# 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-production-and-operating-workers
- SOC code: 51-1011.00
- Career family: Production
- Median annual pay: $74,450 (10th percentile $47,130, 90th percentile $108,750)
- Projected growth: Slower than average, +1.8%
- Openings a year: 61,000
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code ECR)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 55 |
| Investigative (I) | 10 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 31 |
| Enterprising (E) | 88 |
| Conventional (C) | 68 |

## What you'd do

- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 87/100)
- Getting Information (importance 86/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 84/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 80/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 80/100)
- Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates (importance 79/100)
- Coaching and Developing Others (importance 74/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 74/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 74/100)
- Processing Information (importance 74/100)

## Skills

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

## Knowledge

Production and Processing, Administration and Management, Personnel and Human Resources, English Language, Computers and Electronics, Mathematics, Administrative, Education and Training, Mechanical, Engineering and Technology

## Also called

Abattoir Supervisor, Abrasive and Polished Products Supervisor, Acid Supervisor, Aerosol Supervisor, Aging Department Supervisor, Agricultural Chemicals Shift Superintendent, Alteration Workroom Supervisor, Alum Plant Supervisor, Alumina Plant Supervisor, Aluminum Boat Assembly Supervisor

## 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)

## 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 |
| [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 |
| [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill-main-campus-2990) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $88,182 | $135,874 | $9,250 |
| [Boston College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/boston-college-285) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $75,464 | $123,144 | $18,625 |
| [Bismarck State College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/bismarck-state-college-254) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $113,408 | $122,948 | $14,482 |

## Related careers

- [First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-mechanics-installers-and-repairers): $79,860 median pay
- [First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-construction-trades-and-extraction-workers): $79,920 median pay
- [First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-helpers-laborers-and-material-movers-hand): $62,890 median pay
- [First-Line Supervisors of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-material-moving-machine-and-vehicle-operators): $62,890 median pay
- [First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-farming-fishing-and-forestry-workers): $59,320 median pay
- [First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-office-and-administrative-support-workers): $69,500 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.