Quick answer:First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers in Washington earn a median $79,310 per year, above the national median of $74,450 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The state employs about 14,500 of them. Licensing runs through the employers hiring in your area.
Production Supervision Pay and Employment in Washington at a Glance
Metric
Washington
National
Source
Median annual wage
$79,310
$74,450
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$55,020
$47,130
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$63,510
$58,630
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$98,690
$91,680
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$122,830
$108,750
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
14,500
673,430
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
0.94
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
1.2%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How Washington Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The Washington median of $79,310 sits above the national median of $74,450 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 0.94 puts Washington slightly below the national average, so the occupation is a little less common here than in the typical state (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. 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.
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers Wages by Metro Area in Washington
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), first-line supervisors of production and operating workers wages in Washington vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
6,760
$80,460
$86,690
$58,640
$124,130
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
4,970
$76,510
$79,250
$51,360
$105,460
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
4,290
$77,990
$82,720
$47,830
$124,390
Spokane-Spokane Valley
1,280
$75,160
$77,820
$51,290
$108,480
Bellingham
650
$75,200
$84,370
$52,000
$140,990
Kennewick-Richland
580
$79,050
$85,650
$51,710
$128,800
Yakima
580
$74,930
$74,820
$49,440
$98,970
Mount Vernon-Anacortes
550
$79,630
$82,810
$58,220
$117,550
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard
500
$115,340
$106,970
$65,770
$134,800
Longview-Kelso
440
$82,060
$89,760
$59,330
$128,640
Lewiston
270
$73,990
$79,340
$48,020
$105,790
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater
260
$73,150
$77,410
$52,010
$107,480
Walla Walla
210
$77,220
$74,770
$51,560
$91,710
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee
200
$69,720
$74,970
$49,930
$105,770
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
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.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with the employers hiring in your area that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
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 203 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.
#1
Washington State University
📍
Pullman, WA
•202.9 miles away•BOC Score
74.3
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
French Administration Building Pullman, WA 99164-5910
How much do production supervisors make in Washington?
The median annual wage for production supervisors in Washington is $79,310, above the national median of $74,450 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $63,510 at the 25th percentile to $98,690 at the 75th.
How many production supervisors work in Washington?
Washington holds about 14,500 production supervisor jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 673,430, and BLS projects about 67,700 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a production supervisor in Washington?
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. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with the employers hiring in your area before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a operations management and supervision degree online while working in Washington?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies the employers hiring in your area.
What is the highest-paying area of Washington for production supervisors?
Among Washington metro areas with published data, Bremerton reports the highest median at $115,340 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is Washington a good state for production supervisors?
On pay, the state median of $79,310 sits above the national $74,450 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 0.94 means the occupation is less concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
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/.
