# Industrial Production Managers

> Plan, direct, or coordinate the work activities and resources necessary for manufacturing products in accordance with cost, quality, and quantity specifications.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/industrial-production-managers
- SOC code: 11-3051.00
- 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

## Interest profile (code ECR)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 50 |
| Investigative (I) | 32 |
| Artistic (A) | 7 |
| Social (S) | 14 |
| Enterprising (E) | 84 |
| Conventional (C) | 70 |

## What you'd do

- Getting Information (importance 87/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 86/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 83/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 80/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 80/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 76/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 74/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 72/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 71/100)
- Coaching and Developing Others (importance 70/100)

## Skills

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

## Knowledge

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

## Also called

Area Plant Manager, Assembly Manager, Bulk Plant Manager, Car Construction Superintendent, Concrete Mixing Plant Superintendent, Correctional Facility Industries Superintendent, Factory Manager, Factory Superintendent, Food Processing Plant Manager, Food 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

- [General and Operations Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/general-and-operations-managers): $105,770 median pay
- [Quality Control Systems Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/quality-control-systems-managers): $126,060 median pay
- [Biomass Power Plant Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/biomass-power-plant-managers): $126,060 median pay
- [Biofuels Production Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/biofuels-production-managers): $126,060 median pay
- [Supply Chain Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/supply-chain-managers): $107,230 median pay
- [Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/transportation-storage-and-distribution-managers): $107,230 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.