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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.

Median pay
$74,450

a year

Doing it now
679,900

across the country

By 2035
Up 1.8%

61,000 openings a year

Usually needs
High school diploma or equivalent

to get in

What the work involves

  • Enforce safety and sanitation regulations.
  • Direct and coordinate the activities of employees engaged in the production or processing of goods, such as inspectors, machine setters, or fabricators.
  • Read and analyze charts, work orders, production schedules, and other records and reports to determine production requirements and to evaluate current production estimates and outputs.
  • Confer with other supervisors to coordinate operations and activities within or between departments.
  • Plan and establish work schedules, assignments, and production sequences to meet production goals.
  • Inspect materials, products, or equipment to detect defects or malfunctions.
  • Observe work and monitor gauges, dials, and other indicators to ensure that operators conform to production or processing standards.

What to study

The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.

Who it suits

O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.

  • Leading and persuading

  • Organised and precise

  • Hands-on and practical

Answer 24 questions and see whether this is a fit for you

Careers like this one

Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $74,450 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.