First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers Salary: $82,652 Median Pay (2026 stats)
TL;DR
About 685,140 first-line supervisors of production and operating workers nationally earn a mean of $82,652. Projections imply about 0.8% annual decline; CA accounts for about 48,340 jobs in our geographic extract.
Key Statistics
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers: what the data shows
Common questions about first-line supervisors of production and operating workers careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a first-line supervisors of production and operating workers?
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 51-1011.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 685,140 workers.
What does a first-line supervisors of production and operating workers do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Getting Information, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a first-line supervisors of production and operating workers make?
BLS national median annual wage: $71,190 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $82,652 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48,087 |
| 25th percentile | $60,091 |
| Median (50th) | $77,205 |
| 75th percentile | $99,755 |
| 90th percentile | $128,165 |
What education do you need?
For First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers, O*NET incumbent surveys in our extract most often report: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
These are education levels of current workers, not minimum legal requirements.
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Management of Personnel Resources, Time Management, Speaking, Active Listening, Coordination, Critical Thinking, and knowledge areas including Production and Processing, Administration and Management, Personnel and Human Resources, English Language. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is first-line supervisors of production and operating workers in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 0.8% annual decline (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: -3.9%.
Ten-year projected employment change: -7.6%.
Current U.S. headcount: 685,140.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do first-line supervisors of production and operating workerss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 685,140 | 19.6% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 659,160 | 18.9% |
| Manufacturing | 497,140 | 14.2% |
| Food Manufacturing | 70,010 | 2.0% |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 68,870 | 2.0% |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 57,520 | 1.6% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Helpers--Production Workers | 167,490 | $38,220 |
| Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | 385,000 | $57,770 |
| Production Workers, All Other | 277,060 | $38,820 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 75,710 | $155,020 |
| Brickmasons and Blockmasons | 53,520 | $60,800 |
| Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance | 3,320 | $50,280 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers workforce.
Employment Over Time
685,140 Workforce in 2023
The First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$82,652 Average Wage
In 2023, First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers earned an average of $82,652.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
Salary distribution for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
Employment Growth Projections
-0.8% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
197,503 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -3.9%
189,854 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -7.6%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
Wage Trends by Industry
1.7% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 48,340 employees, $82,644 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 13,980 employees, $80,579 avg wage
- Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 5,680 employees, $77,987 avg wage
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 5,320 employees, $76,158 avg wage
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 4,260 employees, $82,406 avg wage
- Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 3,480 employees, $95,521 avg wage
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 2,700 employees, $98,914 avg wage
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 2,070 employees, $84,540 avg wage
- Fresno MSA: 1,630 employees, $75,922 avg wage
- San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 1,360 employees, $92,913 avg wage
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA: 1,090 employees, $77,399 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
Diversity
Demographic information on First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers in 2023 was 685,140 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers in 2023 were Business Administration, Engineering, Business.
Common majors for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers workers.
Education level distribution for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
Skills
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers need many skills, but most especially Management of Personnel Resources, Time Management, Speaking, Active Listening, Coordination.
Required skills for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers include Production and Processing, Administration and Management, Personnel and Human Resources, English Language, Computers and Electronics.
Knowledge areas required for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers include Problem Sensitivity, Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression, Speech Clarity, Written Comprehension.
Required abilities for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
Daily Activities
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers spend their time on activities such as Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Getting Information, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials.
Most important work activities for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
About
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
The average yearly wage for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers was $82,652 in 2023.
SOC Code
51-1011 - First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers reports an average salary of $82,652.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 685,140 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -0.8%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.