Quick answer:First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers in the South Bend area earn a median $67,340 per year, below the national median of $74,450, and the metro employs about 920 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Production Supervision Pay in South Bend, IN
Metric
South Bend metro
Indiana
National
Median annual wage
$67,340
$73,950
$74,450
10th percentile
$47,040
$48,110
$47,130
25th percentile
$57,460
$59,350
$58,630
75th percentile
$80,120
$84,140
$91,680
90th percentile
$96,100
$101,540
$108,750
Employment
920
26,870
673,430
Location quotient
1.61
-
1.00
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The South Bend median of $67,340 is below the national median of $74,450, and below the Indiana statewide median of $73,950 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 1.61 means production supervisors are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Production supervision follows the plants. A metro’s manufacturing base - what it makes and at what scale - is what determines how many shifts need supervising.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Production supervision is not licensed. The credentials that carry weight are the machining, welding or maintenance qualification the supervisor came up through, plus lean and quality certifications employers name in postings - Six Sigma belts and ASQ certifications among them - and OSHA general industry safety training. The degree is what most often distinguishes a lead hand from a shift supervisor.
See the Indiana licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with the employers hiring in your area.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 4 schools
within 238 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
4 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
How much do production supervisors make in South Bend?
The median annual wage for production supervisors in the South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metro area is $67,340, below the national median of $74,450 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many production supervisors work in the South Bend area?
The South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metro area employs about 920 production supervisors (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do production supervisors in South Bend need a license?
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Production supervision is not licensed. The credentials that carry weight are the machining, welding or maintenance qualification the supervisor came up through, plus lean and quality certifications employers name in postings - Six Sigma belts and ASQ certifications among them - and OSHA general industry safety training. The degree is what most often distinguishes a lead hand from a shift supervisor. Confirm current requirements with the employers hiring in your area.
Can I study production supervision online from South Bend?
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies the employers hiring in your area.
Is South Bend a better market than the rest of Indiana?
The South Bend metro median is $67,340 against a statewide median of $73,950 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers (SOC 51-1011), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
