Salary guide, May 2025
Director of Operational Excellence pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Industrial Engineers in the United States was $102,440 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $83,600 and $129,250.
Also searched as: VP Operational Excellence, Operational Excellence Director. These titles share this page because BLS reports them under one occupation.
Broader occupation · SOC 17-2112 Industrial Engineers
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $74,370 | $83,600 | $102,440 | $129,250 | $159,860 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35.76 | $40.19 | $49.25 | $62.14 | $76.85 |
BLS estimated 365,740 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2112 Industrial Engineers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
How does pay compare in the target metros?
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $103,740 | $81,810 to $129,150 | 3,360 | 0.51 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $100,670 | $78,520 to $123,830 | 2,090 | 0.61 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $104,920 | $85,800 to $127,450 | 2,040 | 0.61 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $104,030 | $83,240 to $130,220 | 1,710 | 0.98 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $105,840 | $93,100 to $130,260 | 8,540 | 0.38 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $105,840 | $93,100 to $130,260 | 8,540 | 0.38 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $105,640 | $93,020 to $132,830 | 10,680 | 1.12 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $101,760 | $82,260 to $126,580 | 12,750 | 1.2 |
Rank every metro for Director of Operational Excellence
What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?
Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels.
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$127,140
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$127,140
- Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)$118,700
- Sawmills and Wood Preservation$108,250
- Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills$108,170
- Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing$108,110
- Tobacco Manufacturing$108,090
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing$107,170
- Motor Vehicle Manufacturing$106,340
- Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing$106,170
- Animal Slaughtering and Processing$105,680
- Chemical Manufacturing$105,450
- Dairy Product Manufacturing$105,450
- Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing$105,380
- Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing$105,370
Bars show up to 15 industries with exact annual medians. The table lists every published industry.
| NAICS | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 | Manufacturing | 248,860 | $82,290 | $101,160 | $126,660 |
| 336000 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 55,900 | $85,080 | $102,390 | $127,250 |
| 334000 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 41,320 | $86,770 | $105,370 | $133,290 |
| 333000 | Machinery Manufacturing | 28,010 | $81,650 | $99,070 | $121,540 |
| 336400 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 25,680 | $98,350 | $107,170 | $131,930 |
| 325000 | Chemical Manufacturing | 23,290 | $93,530 | $105,450 | $130,730 |
| 332000 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 22,640 | $77,900 | $93,170 | $104,250 |
| 334400 | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 20,060 | $88,940 | $108,110 | $140,790 |
| 339000 | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 18,550 | $82,840 | $101,920 | $128,760 |
| 3330A1 | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 18,200 | $81,880 | $98,830 | $120,590 |
| 336300 | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 17,250 | $79,550 | $96,890 | $106,770 |
| 334500 | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 16,880 | $91,760 | $104,840 | $130,890 |
| 339100 | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 15,540 | $85,110 | $102,810 | $129,190 |
| 326000 | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 14,900 | $79,420 | $96,770 | $107,790 |
| 335000 | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 12,400 | $78,950 | $97,790 | $110,760 |
| 326100 | Plastics Product Manufacturing | 11,950 | $79,330 | $96,620 | $106,940 |
| 325400 | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 11,710 | $92,180 | $104,110 | $129,470 |
| 3320A1 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 11,340 | $78,320 | $94,370 | $104,900 |
| 3250A1 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 9,150 | $97,950 | $118,700 | $136,120 |
| 336100 | Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 8,140 | $95,070 | $106,340 | $128,140 |
| 331000 | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 6,910 | $79,730 | $99,030 | $117,390 |
| 311000 | Food Manufacturing | 6,260 | $84,130 | $102,830 | $126,540 |
| 322000 | Paper Manufacturing | 5,560 | $85,060 | $101,150 | $129,380 |
| 335900 | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 5,400 | $79,760 | $98,920 | $119,880 |
| 3320A2 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 5,360 | $76,350 | $90,070 | $104,100 |
| 332700 | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 4,990 | $77,510 | $92,670 | $103,570 |
| 335300 | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 4,970 | $78,360 | $98,200 | $108,050 |
| 333600 | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 4,570 | $95,870 | $103,340 | $128,710 |
| 337000 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 3,390 | $65,840 | $79,040 | $99,530 |
| 3370A1 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 3,310 | $65,800 | $78,990 | $99,530 |
| 322200 | Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 3,220 | $79,890 | $97,680 | $124,910 |
| 333500 | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 3,140 | $77,720 | $90,920 | $105,490 |
| 332710 | Machine Shops | 3,070 | $76,660 | $89,610 | $102,790 |
| 339900 | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 3,010 | $77,480 | $93,810 | $106,220 |
| 326200 | Rubber Product Manufacturing | 2,950 | $79,660 | $98,320 | $116,500 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 2,940 | $82,140 | $98,870 | $119,810 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 2,940 | $82,140 | $98,870 | $119,810 |
| 331500 | Foundries | 2,440 | $78,970 | $96,820 | $106,910 |
| 3250A2 | Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 2,430 | $81,020 | $98,130 | $116,950 |
| 322100 | Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 2,340 | $93,660 | $108,170 | $133,940 |
| 334100 | Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 2,170 | $64,520 | $99,540 | $137,030 |
| 333300 | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 2,100 | $78,710 | $96,750 | $110,110 |
| 324000 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 2,020 | $106,610 | $127,140 | $152,940 |
| 324100 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 2,020 | $106,610 | $127,140 | $152,940 |
| 332720 | Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 1,920 | $79,080 | $95,820 | $105,900 |
| 334200 | Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 1,820 | $83,310 | $102,600 | $129,960 |
| 336600 | Ship and Boat Building | 1,550 | $80,730 | $100,410 | $131,930 |
| 311900 | Other Food Manufacturing | 1,540 | $85,170 | $103,250 | $125,920 |
| 335200 | Household Appliance Manufacturing | 1,520 | $79,310 | $95,010 | $106,660 |
| 336200 | Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 1,390 | $79,340 | $93,460 | $102,770 |
| 321000 | Wood Product Manufacturing | 1,320 | $74,810 | $91,780 | $108,710 |
| 331400 | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 1,300 | $83,780 | $103,280 | $126,590 |
| 331100 | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 1,290 | $64,770 | $94,540 | $110,070 |
| 336900 | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 1,170 | $79,710 | $98,790 | $105,140 |
| 313000 | Textile Mills | 1,070 | $78,750 | $94,390 | $108,780 |
| 312000 | Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 1,040 | $93,820 | $105,380 | $128,570 |
| 331200 | Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 990 | $81,230 | $99,970 | $117,710 |
| 332800 | Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 950 | $74,450 | $91,110 | $103,750 |
| 312100 | Beverage Manufacturing | 930 | $94,260 | $104,530 | $127,430 |
| 321900 | Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 930 | $72,470 | $89,520 | $107,990 |
| 311500 | Dairy Product Manufacturing | 890 | $92,480 | $105,450 | $128,810 |
| 331300 | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 890 | $81,650 | $101,620 | $125,780 |
| 311200 | Grain and Oilseed Milling | 830 | $83,690 | $104,160 | $126,870 |
| 311400 | Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | 740 | $83,680 | $99,410 | $123,200 |
| 311800 | Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | 740 | $79,030 | $101,350 | $123,200 |
| 336500 | Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing | 720 | $80,490 | $91,170 | $107,250 |
| 311600 | Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 680 | $84,550 | $105,680 | $135,780 |
| 323000 | Printing and Related Support Activities | 650 | $78,270 | $93,070 | $107,250 |
| 323100 | Printing and Related Support Activities | 650 | $78,270 | $93,070 | $107,250 |
| 313200 | Fabric Mills | 590 | $79,800 | $96,140 | $112,340 |
| 314000 | Textile Product Mills | 530 | $74,680 | $88,730 | $108,800 |
| 311300 | Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | 520 | $84,270 | $100,470 | $126,400 |
| 335100 | Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing | 510 | $78,590 | $95,100 | $104,450 |
| 311100 | Animal Food Manufacturing | 300 | $85,210 | $101,610 | $130,660 |
| 313300 | Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills | 280 | $78,190 | $93,450 | $108,520 |
| 314900 | Other Textile Product Mills | 280 | $72,910 | $85,020 | $107,200 |
| 321200 | Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | 280 | $75,610 | $87,540 | $107,040 |
| 314100 | Textile Furnishings Mills | 260 | $75,760 | $99,140 | $117,580 |
| 334300 | Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing | 250 | $86,000 | $104,380 | $131,170 |
| 313100 | Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills | 200 | $75,250 | $88,600 | $106,660 |
| 312200 | Tobacco Manufacturing | 120 | $93,080 | $108,090 | $134,500 |
| 321100 | Sawmills and Wood Preservation | 110 | $88,030 | $108,250 | $131,680 |
| 339910 | Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing | 100 | $94,450 | $97,130 | $132,360 |
| 337900 | Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing | 90 | $81,270 | $96,700 | $108,730 |
| 316000 | Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | 80 | $75,850 | $91,930 | $115,090 |
| 316900 | Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | 60 | $75,700 | $106,170 | $123,850 |
| 315200 | Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing | 50 | $66,520 | $88,620 | $127,880 |
| 311700 | Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging | 40 | $82,470 | $101,090 | $110,440 |
| 334600 | Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media | Not published by BLS | $48,570 | $59,630 | $84,280 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Director of Operational Excellence, clarify the base pay before discussing call-outs, travel or extra shifts. OEWS includes base rate, guaranteed pay and production incentive pay. It excludes overtime premium, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure.
Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.
Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $81,910 | $101,140 | $127,480 |
| May 2025 | $83,600 | $102,440 | $129,250 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What should you know about authority without line control?
The central question is how the candidate builds authority. Some negotiate common metrics and a review rhythm that plant managers value. Some rely on executive mandate, which works until the sponsor changes. We ask for a case where a plant manager disagreed and what the candidate did next.
Strong answers involve data, joint problem solving and a decision about when to escalate. Weak answers describe frustration. In private equity backed businesses, where the value creation plan sets a clock, the director also has to translate method into results that investors recognize, without overpromising early savings.
What should you know about questions?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
What is the median pay for a Director of Operational Excellence?
The median annual wage for Industrial Engineers in the United States was $102,440 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $83,600 and $129,250. This is the broader occupation BLS publishes, not a figure for this exact title.
What does the 10th percentile mean here?
10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $74,370. 90% earned less than $159,860.
Does this include overtime or bonuses?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
Is this the pay for a Director of Operational Excellence at a plant?
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 365,740 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
Continuous Improvement Manager pay Continuous Improvement Engineer pay Lean Six Sigma Black Belt pay Lean Manager pay VP of Operational Excellence pay Director of Operational Excellence pay ranked across all metros Open jobs Director of Operational Excellence recruiting Check an offer for this role
What does this data mean for your opening?
Specific manufacturing industries provide higher-end benchmarks for engineers. The Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing industry reports a median of $127,140. Chemical Manufacturing (NAICS 3250A1) shows a median of $118,700. These figures, which represent national industry rows, are important because they align more closely with the technical and scale requirements found in high-performance operational excellence departments than the general national average.
Directors of Operational Excellence are categorized within the SOC 17-2112 Industrial Engineers group, which shows a national median annual wage of $102,440. This represents an increase of $1,300 over the May 2024 median of $101,140. Manufacturing Headhunters notes that because this SOC code aggregates all industrial engineers, it does not explicitly isolate the leadership-level compensation typically expected for a director-level operational excellence role.
Specific manufacturing industries provide higher-end benchmarks for engineers. The Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing industry reports a median of $127,140. Chemical Manufacturing (NAICS 3250A1) shows a median of $118,700. These figures, which represent national industry rows, are important because they align more closely with the technical and scale requirements found in high-performance operational excellence departments than the general national average.
Metropolitan areas with high concentrations of engineering professionals provide further salary data. The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area reports a median of $104,110 with a middle band width of $45,180. The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro shows a median of $104,730 with a middle band width of $39,440. These regions represent the highest employment densities for industrial engineers, according to the current dataset.
Compensation factors such as profit-sharing, equity, and large-scale project incentives are not included in the BLS wage reporting. Total national employment for this occupational category stands at 365,740. The location quotient for the Detroit metro is 3.87, and for Minneapolis it is 3.04. These figures highlight employment volume in these regions, which is an important consideration when evaluating labor market availability, though not a direct indicator of director-level salary premiums.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
Does the national median of $102,440 reflect director-level pay?
No, the national median reflects all industrial engineers, including entry-level and mid-level individual contributors. Director-level compensation for operational excellence roles is typically higher than this broad occupational median.
What is the change in the national median for this occupation since May 2024?
The median for this group increased by $1,300 over the past year, rising from $101,140 in May 2024 to $102,440 in May 2025.
How does the chemical manufacturing industry's median compare to the national average?
The chemical manufacturing median of $118,700 is significantly higher than the national industrial engineer median of $102,440, reflecting sector-specific compensation trends for engineers.
Related recruiting or pay page · Related wage comparison 1 · Data methodology · Related wage comparison 3 · Related wage comparison 4