Industrial Production Managers
Also called: Assembly Manager, Manufacturing Manager, Plant Manager, Production ManagerPlan, direct, or coordinate the work activities and resources necessary for manufacturing products in accordance with cost, quality, and quantity specifications.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 12 of its 21 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 2.6% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
BLS figures cover the broader occupation “Industrial production managers”, which includes this one and others.
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 2.0% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 5.4 hires for every 10 job openings in durable goods manufacturing, which employs about 46% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.5.4 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $122,520 | $92,350 to $160,380 | 3,620 |
| Alaska | $113,280 | $94,140 to $146,990 | 410 |
| Arizona | $124,810 | $100,720 to $154,870 | 3,630 |
| Arkansas | $118,120 | $96,860 to $163,210 | 2,560 |
| California | $132,620 | $102,490 to $173,660 | 25,130 |
| Colorado | $141,020 | $108,170 to $189,300 | 1,730 |
| Connecticut | $134,780 | $106,140 to $163,270 | 3,360 |
| Delaware | $153,000 | $129,290 to $178,190 | 370 |
| District of Columbia | $124,420 | $107,990 to $165,860 | 50 |
| Florida | $119,870 | $86,090 to $161,970 | 9,480 |
| Georgia | $127,820 | $99,110 to $161,270 | 5,510 |
| Guam | $100,470 | $81,820 to $131,600 | 40 |
| Hawaii | $124,650 | $83,380 to $169,680 | 130 |
| Idaho | $107,340 | $85,720 to $135,640 | 1,210 |
| Illinois | $127,270 | $101,990 to $162,070 | 11,570 |
| Indiana | $121,500 | $98,740 to $157,830 | 9,400 |
| Iowa | $106,510 | $90,990 to $133,140 | 3,620 |
| Kansas | $125,750 | $100,360 to $159,660 | 2,420 |
| Kentucky | $112,250 | $91,490 to $145,070 | 6,430 |
| Louisiana | $133,210 | $103,880 to $168,560 | 2,680 |
| Maine | $124,810 | $105,340 to $158,410 | 800 |
| Maryland | $132,540 | $102,550 to $167,110 | 2,480 |
| Massachusetts | $148,050 | $125,390 to $184,050 | 4,470 |
| Michigan | $120,660 | $97,090 to $148,360 | 14,320 |
| Minnesota | $123,580 | $98,400 to $160,810 | 5,080 |
| Mississippi | $118,660 | $95,220 to $151,780 | 2,290 |
| Missouri | $117,660 | $91,120 to $146,110 | 4,110 |
| Montana | $120,690 | $96,530 to $155,260 | 270 |
| Nebraska | $107,200 | $87,550 to $133,840 | 2,160 |
| Nevada | $112,270 | $87,170 to $141,570 | 1,620 |
| New Hampshire | $146,590 | $120,660 to $191,620 | 1,540 |
| New Jersey | $147,260 | $114,490 to $177,870 | 6,780 |
| New Mexico | $124,670 | $99,170 to $173,540 | 670 |
| New York | $130,470 | $101,260 to $167,080 | 6,630 |
| North Carolina | $125,940 | $97,460 to $161,330 | 9,640 |
| North Dakota | $116,050 | $97,360 to $146,710 | 490 |
| Ohio | $109,340 | $88,500 to $138,560 | 14,290 |
| Oklahoma | $120,570 | $90,760 to $145,610 | 2,140 |
| Oregon | $119,420 | $95,460 to $145,900 | 3,150 |
| Pennsylvania | $109,140 | $87,170 to $143,480 | 10,200 |
| Puerto Rico | $129,740 | $89,200 to $167,510 | 1,050 |
| Rhode Island | $124,120 | $102,830 to $161,210 | 940 |
| South Carolina | $126,880 | $100,490 to $161,270 | 6,390 |
| South Dakota | $107,490 | $96,530 to $132,470 | 720 |
| Tennessee | $119,430 | $92,090 to $155,240 | 6,310 |
| Texas | $130,890 | $98,260 to $165,980 | 21,200 |
| Utah | $115,290 | $94,150 to $145,430 | 2,590 |
| Vermont | $114,150 | $92,820 to $140,260 | 480 |
| Virginia | $128,230 | $101,550 to $167,180 | 2,570 |
| Washington | $145,210 | $135,210 to $172,140 | 4,760 |
| West Virginia | $111,760 | $95,480 to $141,750 | 1,000 |
| Wyoming | $151,490 | $125,420 to $170,900 | 390 |
Nationally: $126,060. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 12 of its 21 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI + software | Review processing schedules or production orders to make decisions concerning inventory requirements, staffing requirements, work procedures, or duty assignments, considering budgetary limitations and time constraints. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Direct or coordinate production, processing, distribution, or marketing activities of industrial organizations. | Not published |
| Not much | Review operations and confer with technical or administrative staff to resolve production or processing problems. | under 0.01% |
| Not much | Set and monitor product standards, examining samples of raw products or directing testing during processing, to ensure finished products are of prescribed quality. | Not published |
| Not much | Hire, train, evaluate, or discharge staff or resolve personnel grievances. | Not published |
| AI alone | Develop or implement production tracking or quality control systems, analyzing production, quality control, maintenance, or other operational reports to detect production problems. | under 0.01% |
See all 21 tasks
| AI + software | Prepare and maintain production reports or personnel records. | Not published |
| Not much | Coordinate or recommend procedures for facility or equipment maintenance or modification, including the replacement of machines. | Not published |
| Not much | Develop budgets or approve expenditures for supplies, materials, or human resources, ensuring that materials, labor, or equipment are used efficiently to meet production targets. | Not published |
| AI alone | Review plans and confer with research or support staff to develop new products or processes. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Maintain current knowledge of the quality control field, relying on current literature pertaining to materials use, technological advances, or statistical studies. | Not published |
| Not much | Initiate or coordinate inventory or cost control programs. | Not published |
| AI + software | Negotiate materials prices with suppliers. | Not published |
| Not much | Conduct site audits to ensure adherence to safety and environmental regulations. | Not published |
| AI + software | Develop or enforce procedures for normal operation of manufacturing systems. | Not published |
| Not much | Implement operational and emergency procedures. | Not published |
| AI + software | Maintain records to demonstrate compliance with safety and environmental laws, regulations, or policies. | Not published |
| AI + software | Monitor permit requirements for updates. | Not published |
| AI + software | Optimize operational costs and productivity consistent with safety and environmental rules and regulations. | Not published |
| AI alone | Prepare reports on operations and system productivity or efficiency. | 0.01% |
| Not much | Supervise subordinate employees. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. O*NET hasn't rated 8 of the tasks, so they come last, in O*NET's own order. 5 of the 21 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 21 tasks fall under 25 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #4 Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
- #17 Implement procedures or processes
- #32 Monitor external affairs, trends, or events
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures | |||
| Implement procedures or processes | |||
| Communicate with others about operational plans or activities | |||
| Prepare reports of operational or procedural activities | |||
| Analyze data to improve operations | |||
| Develop organizational policies, systems, or processes | |||
| Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise | |||
| Monitor external affairs, trends, or events |
Show all 25 activities
| Develop technical specifications for products or operations | |||
| Advise others on business or operational matters | |||
| Manage budgets or finances | |||
| Monitor operations to ensure adequate performance | |||
| Prepare legal or regulatory documents | |||
| Maintain operational records | |||
| Manage control systems or activities | |||
| Evaluate production inputs or outputs | |||
| Evaluate personnel capabilities or performance | |||
| Train others on operational or work procedures | |||
| Negotiate contracts or agreements | |||
| Intervene in crisis situations or emergencies | |||
| Perform recruiting or hiring activities | |||
| Supervise personnel activities | |||
| Design industrial systems or equipment | |||
| Assess compliance with environmental standards or regulations | |||
| Authorize business activities or transactions |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- A document or report43%
- An analysis or summary15%
- A plan or strategy6%
- Data or a spreadsheet6%
- An email or message5%
How they worked with Claude
82% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for industrial production managers specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 223,301 moves out
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 12%
- 2 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 8%
- 3 First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers High +1.8% 6%
- 4 Computer Occupations, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 5 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 3%
Where people moved in from
of 283,602 moves in
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 11%
- 2 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 5%
- 3 First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers High +1.8% 5%
- 4 Computer Occupations, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 5 First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers High -3.7% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 5% less than high school
- 29% high school
- 16% postsecondary certificate
- 12% some college
- 8% associate's
- 26% bachelor's
- 2% post-bachelor's certificate
- 1% master's
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 33 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 4% less than high school
- 19% high school
- 19% some college
- 9% associate's
- 35% bachelor's
- 12% master's
- 1% professional degree
- 1% doctorate
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 3,533 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
9 programs, such as Industrial Engineering, Engineering/Industrial Management and Clinical and Industrial Drug Development.
See all
- Industrial Engineering
- Engineering/Industrial Management
- Clinical and Industrial Drug Development
- Industrial and Physical Pharmacy and Cosmetic Sciences
- Business/Commerce, General
- Business Administration and Management, General
- Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management
- Operations Management and Supervision
- Science/Technology Management
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
24.3% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | 2.0% | 19.1% |
| a certification | 4.7% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | not published |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 1 registered apprenticeship in this occupation (Wine Maker (Vinous Liquor)). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Industrial Production Managers” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
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