Salary guide, May 2025
Director of Operations pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
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The median annual wage for General and Operations Managers in the United States was $105,770 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $72,320 and $167,280.
Also searched as: Operations Director. These titles share this page because BLS reports them under one occupation.
Broader occupation · SOC 11-1021 General and Operations Managers
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,090 | $72,320 | $105,770 | $167,280 | $253,390 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $24.08 | $34.77 | $50.85 | $80.42 | $121.82 |
BLS estimated 3,503,020 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 11-1021 General and Operations Managers, 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 | $105,640 | $71,390 to $162,400 | 74,960 | 1.18 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $103,670 | $70,790 to $167,250 | 35,700 | 1.1 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $100,440 | $65,800 to $156,260 | 27,430 | 0.86 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $114,940 | $77,590 to $176,080 | 9,520 | 0.57 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $157,000 | $100,040 to $226,350 | 177,850 | 0.83 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $157,000 | $100,040 to $226,350 | 177,850 | 0.83 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $111,010 | $71,040 to $173,250 | 125,090 | 1.37 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $109,390 | $76,900 to $175,170 | 122,930 | 1.21 |
Rank every metro for Director of Operations
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. Nested NAICS rows overlap; they are not independent samples and must not be added together. Identical source rows repeated at different publication levels appear once.
- Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing (NAICS 334000)$170,400
- Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing (NAICS 335000)$161,510
- Paper Manufacturing (NAICS 322000)$160,810
- Chemical Manufacturing (NAICS 325000)$159,990
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing (NAICS 324000)$156,820
- Transportation Equipment Manufacturing (NAICS 336000)$156,010
- Primary Metal Manufacturing (NAICS 331000)$143,190
- Machinery Manufacturing (NAICS 333000)$142,790
- Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing (NAICS 326000)$138,930
- Textile Mills (NAICS 313000)$129,980
- Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (NAICS 332000)$126,810
- Miscellaneous Manufacturing (NAICS 339000)$123,670
- Food Manufacturing (NAICS 311000)$113,740
- Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing (NAICS 327000)$111,700
- Wood Product Manufacturing (NAICS 321000)$105,090
Bars compare up to 15 non-overlapping 3-digit manufacturing subsectors with exact annual medians. More detailed scopes remain in the table, identified by code and publication level.
| NAICS / scope | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 · sector | Manufacturing | 249,060 | $88,400 | $130,960 | $195,100 |
| 332000 · 3-digit | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 39,120 | $89,430 | $126,810 | $172,830 |
| 333000 · 3-digit | Machinery Manufacturing | 24,900 | $100,520 | $142,790 | $206,260 |
| 334000 · 3-digit | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 21,880 | $118,720 | $170,400 | $228,300 |
| 311000 · 3-digit | Food Manufacturing | 21,670 | $75,370 | $113,740 | $172,530 |
| 325000 · 3-digit | Chemical Manufacturing | 20,740 | $105,770 | $159,990 | $217,480 |
| 336000 · 3-digit | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 19,590 | $107,830 | $156,010 | $207,210 |
| 339000 · 3-digit | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 17,830 | $78,630 | $123,670 | $179,150 |
| 3330A1 · 4-digit | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 16,160 | $102,800 | $150,140 | $210,650 |
| 323000 · 3-digit | Printing and Related Support Activities | 12,500 | $64,900 | $96,630 | $138,950 |
| 323100 · 4-digit | Printing and Related Support Activities | 12,500 | $64,900 | $96,630 | $138,950 |
| 3320A2 · 4-digit | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 12,380 | $89,770 | $127,330 | $172,360 |
| 332700 · 4-digit | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 12,370 | $82,540 | $120,190 | $162,500 |
| 339900 · 4-digit | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 10,660 | $71,010 | $103,510 | $160,720 |
| 332710 · 5-digit | Machine Shops | 10,220 | $80,690 | $117,830 | $158,980 |
| 3320A1 · 4-digit | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 10,140 | $97,710 | $134,820 | $204,820 |
| 326000 · 3-digit | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 10,020 | $98,730 | $138,930 | $201,590 |
| 327000 · 3-digit | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 9,970 | $78,710 | $111,700 | $161,090 |
| 334500 · 4-digit | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 9,600 | $124,800 | $172,120 | $220,270 |
| 336400 · 4-digit | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 9,150 | $123,740 | $169,780 | $215,780 |
| 335000 · 3-digit | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 8,510 | $107,950 | $161,510 | $218,320 |
| 337000 · 3-digit | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 8,380 | $72,010 | $103,400 | $156,500 |
| 321000 · 3-digit | Wood Product Manufacturing | 8,280 | $74,060 | $105,090 | $152,310 |
| 326100 · 4-digit | Plastics Product Manufacturing | 8,130 | $101,470 | $144,190 | $204,760 |
| 3250A1 · 4-digit | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 7,870 | $108,920 | $158,770 | $215,100 |
| 3370A1 · 4-digit | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 7,730 | $72,350 | $102,950 | $155,750 |
| 325400 · 4-digit | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 7,370 | $122,210 | $172,620 | $234,930 |
| 312000 · 3-digit | Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 7,240 | $65,500 | $93,320 | $135,080 |
| 339100 · 4-digit | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 7,170 | $100,770 | $148,360 | $212,340 |
| 312100 · 4-digit | Beverage Manufacturing | 7,040 | $64,990 | $92,050 | $133,200 |
| 334400 · 4-digit | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 6,080 | $117,480 | $171,090 | $264,440 |
| 3250A2 · 4-digit | Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 5,490 | $93,930 | $130,620 | $197,680 |
| 311800 · 4-digit | Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | 5,360 | $61,290 | $93,200 | $135,220 |
| 321900 · 4-digit | Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 5,270 | $72,150 | $104,980 | $154,190 |
| 331000 · 3-digit | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 5,110 | $100,450 | $143,190 | $204,050 |
| 333500 · 4-digit | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 4,760 | $84,800 | $123,200 | $166,180 |
| 311900 · 4-digit | Other Food Manufacturing | 4,630 | $76,370 | $122,800 | $185,100 |
| 336300 · 4-digit | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 4,630 | $96,470 | $135,700 | $196,160 |
| 322000 · 3-digit | Paper Manufacturing | 4,310 | $116,030 | $160,810 | $220,840 |
| 332800 · 4-digit | Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 4,230 | $91,770 | $122,880 | $163,990 |
| 335900 · 4-digit | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 3,600 | $105,770 | $160,350 | $218,870 |
| 322200 · 4-digit | Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 3,580 | $114,600 | $159,180 | $216,920 |
| 335300 · 4-digit | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 3,330 | $121,250 | $167,710 | $221,400 |
| 314000 · 3-digit | Textile Product Mills | 2,670 | $65,350 | $93,610 | $136,200 |
| 311600 · 4-digit | Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 2,660 | $82,400 | $126,070 | $185,900 |
| 334200 · 4-digit | Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 2,650 | $102,340 | $159,250 | $218,220 |
| 333300 · 4-digit | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 2,550 | $107,200 | $162,730 | $215,480 |
| 334100 · 4-digit | Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 2,260 | $124,730 | $180,220 | $258,950 |
| 315000 · 3-digit | Apparel Manufacturing | 2,230 | $61,930 | $96,060 | $155,100 |
| 324000 · 3-digit | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 2,230 | $118,400 | $156,820 | $216,260 |
| 324100 · 4-digit | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 2,230 | $118,400 | $156,820 | $216,260 |
| 336200 · 4-digit | Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 2,170 | $85,340 | $129,850 | $179,200 |
| 332720 · 5-digit | Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 2,140 | $94,730 | $129,770 | $197,420 |
| 314900 · 4-digit | Other Textile Product Mills | 2,080 | $65,350 | $90,990 | $134,440 |
| 311500 · 4-digit | Dairy Product Manufacturing | 2,050 | $78,120 | $135,060 | $194,500 |
| 311100 · 4-digit | Animal Food Manufacturing | 1,940 | $84,650 | $121,840 | $172,980 |
| 311400 · 4-digit | Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | 1,930 | $86,400 | $126,460 | $184,880 |
| 326200 · 4-digit | Rubber Product Manufacturing | 1,890 | $91,230 | $127,020 | $179,150 |
| 315200 · 4-digit | Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing | 1,780 | $61,130 | $93,070 | $156,670 |
| 336600 · 4-digit | Ship and Boat Building | 1,650 | $96,260 | $132,650 | $172,510 |
| 321100 · 4-digit | Sawmills and Wood Preservation | 1,590 | $68,710 | $100,480 | $147,700 |
| 333600 · 4-digit | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 1,440 | $109,580 | $160,960 | $217,550 |
| 321200 · 4-digit | Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | 1,420 | $83,310 | $113,060 | $151,640 |
| 311300 · 4-digit | Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | 1,350 | $56,970 | $93,100 | $160,810 |
| 313000 · 3-digit | Textile Mills | 1,340 | $85,130 | $129,980 | $195,850 |
| 311200 · 4-digit | Grain and Oilseed Milling | 1,240 | $100,130 | $134,220 | $189,240 |
| 331500 · 4-digit | Foundries | 1,200 | $101,580 | $138,830 | $200,130 |
| 335100 · 4-digit | Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing | 1,170 | $100,100 | $150,510 | $210,900 |
| 331200 · 4-digit | Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 1,100 | $113,930 | $160,680 | $204,050 |
| 331100 · 4-digit | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 1,040 | $97,070 | $140,420 | $207,400 |
| 339910 · 5-digit | Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing | 970 | $74,590 | $110,500 | $155,630 |
| 331400 · 4-digit | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 960 | $103,780 | $156,720 | $213,030 |
| 336100 · 4-digit | Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 860 | $130,950 | $160,990 | $209,670 |
| 336900 · 4-digit | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 820 | $65,500 | $98,640 | $157,410 |
| 331300 · 4-digit | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 810 | $93,830 | $131,850 | $187,620 |
| 322100 · 4-digit | Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 720 | $124,810 | $167,440 | $241,290 |
| 334600 · 4-digit | Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media | 690 | $135,230 | $164,330 | $230,940 |
| 313300 · 4-digit | Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills | 660 | $88,040 | $126,100 | $202,940 |
| 337900 · 4-digit | Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing | 650 | $67,640 | $108,910 | $163,080 |
| 334300 · 4-digit | Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing | 600 | $76,780 | $132,620 | $200,240 |
| 313200 · 4-digit | Fabric Mills | 590 | $86,470 | $137,410 | $190,140 |
| 314100 · 4-digit | Textile Furnishings Mills | 590 | $66,090 | $96,470 | $140,640 |
| 316000 · 3-digit | Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | 560 | $68,360 | $101,430 | $155,790 |
| 311700 · 4-digit | Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging | 500 | $85,930 | $135,040 | $200,490 |
| 335200 · 4-digit | Household Appliance Manufacturing | 400 | $94,970 | $137,060 | $212,890 |
| 315900 · 4-digit | Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing | 380 | $72,660 | $99,950 | $151,740 |
| 316900 · 4-digit | Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | 320 | $73,720 | $103,160 | $170,900 |
| 336500 · 4-digit | Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing | 300 | $123,100 | $154,840 | $208,960 |
| 312200 · 4-digit | Tobacco Manufacturing | 200 | $108,800 | $157,810 | $191,100 |
| 316200 · 4-digit | Footwear Manufacturing | 160 | $60,220 | $105,630 | $135,510 |
| 313100 · 4-digit | Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills | 100 | $61,700 | $113,690 | $166,570 |
| 316100 · 4-digit | Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing | 70 | $66,900 | $76,720 | $117,040 |
| 315100 · 4-digit | Apparel Knitting Mills | 60 | $77,180 | $115,460 | $149,040 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Director of Operations, separate the guaranteed salary from any discretionary bonus or commission arrangement. OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. It includes base rate, guaranteed pay, commissions and production bonuses. It excludes overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits.
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 | $67,160 | $102,950 | $164,130 |
| May 2025 | $72,320 | $105,770 | $167,280 |
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.
Why fit is difficult?
A director of operations often sits between plants and the executive team. The pool is small, and many candidates have been promoted from within a single company, so they have never had to explain their results to outsiders. Their compensation is also tied to bonuses and equity, which makes them hard to move without a clear story.
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 Operations?
The median annual wage for General and Operations Managers in the United States was $105,770 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $72,320 and $167,280. 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 $50,090. 90% earned less than $253,390.
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 Operations 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 3,503,020 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
CEO / President (Manufacturing) pay Chief Operating Officer (COO) pay VP of Operations pay VP of Manufacturing pay Regional VP of Operations pay Director of Operations pay ranked across all metros Open jobs Director of Operations recruiting Check an offer for this role
What does this data mean for your opening?
Manufacturing Headhunters reviews the Director of Operations role through the lens of SOC 11-1021, General and Operations Managers. BLS data captures a broad spectrum of industries, meaning the provided figures represent a composite of many different sectors rather than a specific manufacturing-only title.
This mapping limitation is crucial because it includes non-manufacturing management roles, affecting the total employment count of 3,503,020. Plant-level responsibilities for this position typically involve direct ownership of production lines, achieving specific operational targets such as OEE, scrap reduction, on-time delivery, and workplace safety, alongside the deployment of lean manufacturing methodologies.
For Director of Operations in the United States, releases are separate survey estimates. The May 2025 median is $105,770; the May 2024 median is $102,950. Their arithmetic difference is $2,820. They are not the same workers' raises and do not establish a pay trend or its cause. A substantial middle-band width of $94,960 exists between the 25th percentile of $72,320 and the 75th percentile of $167,280. When focusing on specific manufacturing sub-sectors at the national level, salaries often skew higher than the broad median. For instance, Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing reports a median of $180,220, followed by Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing at $172,620 and Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing at $172,120. These figures illustrate that industrial complexity and specialized production requirements generally correlate with higher compensation.
Comparing the national data against major employment hubs provides additional context. The New York-Newark-Jersey City metro reports a median of $157,000 with a middle-band width of $126,310, showing a notable variance from the national figures. The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro sits closer to the national median with a $111,010 level and a middle-band width of $102,210. While Dallas exhibits a higher location quotient of 1.37 compared to 0.83 in New York, this indicates a higher concentration of the occupation relative to the national average, not an inherent difference in candidate quality or localized pay scales. For Director of Operations in the United States, OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Commissions and production bonuses are included; overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits are excluded.
It is important to note that the provided BLS data is compiled from reports on existing positions and does not account for specific experience levels, willingness to relocate, or the specific scale of a facility. The middle-band width calculations are derived directly from the provided percentile data, reflecting the spread of current compensation across a highly diverse national labor pool. Manufacturing Headhunters emphasizes that these figures should be used as broad benchmarks rather than specific hiring offers. Since the BLS does not isolate the manufacturing-specific Director of Operations title, these figures necessarily encompass a wide range of operational responsibilities that may or may not align with individual plant requirements.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
For Director of Operations in the United States, OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Commissions and production bonuses are included; overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits are excluded. These components are frequently essential parts of a total compensation package for Director of Operations candidates.
Why does the reported data include non-manufacturing industries?
The BLS uses the SOC 11-1021 code to classify General and Operations Managers across the entire economy. This means the data combines manufacturing management with service, retail, and corporate operations roles.
How should employers interpret the difference between national and industry-specific medians?
The national median provides a baseline for the broader management category, while the industry-specific medians show how specialized manufacturing sectors value operational leadership. These industry-specific figures often better reflect the technical demands of managing complex production environments.
What components of compensation are missing from these wage figures?
For Director of Operations in the United States, OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Commissions and production bonuses are included; overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits are excluded. These components are frequently essential parts of a total compensation package for Director of Operations candidates.
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