Salary guide, May 2025
Division / Business Unit General Manager 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 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.
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 Division / Business Unit General Manager
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 Division / Business Unit General Manager, 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.
What should you know about a move that can hold up?
Someone working in business unit leaders who have owned customer and factory decisions needs a clear reason to leave. If the answer depends on authority over a business unit's margin, customer commitments and operating capacity that you cannot offer, that mismatch belongs in the conversation before an offer.
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 Division / Business Unit General Manager?
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 Division / Business Unit General Manager 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 Division / Business Unit General Manager pay ranked across all metros Open jobs Division / Business Unit General Manager recruiting Check an offer for this role
What does this data mean for your opening?
The Division / Business Unit General Manager role maps to SOC 11-1021, General and Operations Managers. For Division / Business Unit General Manager 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. The middle-band width is $94,960, reflecting the extreme variance in executive compensation. Manufacturing Headhunters observes that in specialized industries, medians are significantly higher, such as $180,220 in Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing and $172,620 in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing. For Division / Business Unit General Manager 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.
In the primary employment hubs, wages remain well above the national median. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ area commands a median of $157,000, and the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX, region reports a median of $111,010. These figures underscore the value of regional operational leadership, especially in hubs with strong industrial clusters. For Division / Business Unit General Manager in the United States, percentiles describe the wage distribution of the mapped occupation. The published middle interval is $72,320 to $167,280 annually. They do not assign pay to plant size, seniority, credentials or job complexity. Assess duties and candidate requirements separately; these rows do not measure a premium for them.
When recruiting for a Business Unit leader, hiring teams must realize that the BLS code groups together operational roles of vastly different scope. A candidate managing a local facility is fundamentally different from a Business Unit leader with P&L accountability for a multi-plant division. The middle-band width of $94,960 confirms that standard salary benchmarking based on the median is inadequate for this level of leadership. For Division / Business Unit General Manager in the United States, percentiles describe the wage distribution of the mapped occupation. The published middle interval is $72,320 to $167,280 annually. They do not assign pay to plant size, seniority, credentials or job complexity. Assess duties and candidate requirements separately; these rows do not measure a premium for them.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
No, it is heavily skewed by the inclusion of lower-level management roles in retail and small-scale operations. For Division / Business Unit General Manager in the United States, percentiles describe the wage distribution of the mapped occupation. The published middle interval is $72,320 to $167,280 annually.
Is the median salary a realistic benchmark for a Division General Manager?
No, it is heavily skewed by the inclusion of lower-level management roles in retail and small-scale operations. For Division / Business Unit General Manager in the United States, percentiles describe the wage distribution of the mapped occupation. The published middle interval is $72,320 to $167,280 annually. They do not assign pay to plant size, seniority, credentials or job complexity. Assess duties and candidate requirements separately; these rows do not measure a premium for them.
Does this role require the same salary as an EVP position?
While both share the same SOC, the compensation for a Business Unit General Manager is determined by the size and complexity of their specific P&L. It is not automatically identical to a corporate EVP salary.
Are performance bonuses included in these reported median values?
For Division / Business Unit General Manager 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.
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