Continuous Improvement Managers
Overview
Introduction
Continuous improvement managers help organizations increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve profitability. They ask questions such as: How are we doing? Can we do it better? Can we do it more efficiently? Can we do it faster? Continuous improvement managers are most commonly employed by businesses, but they also work for government agencies, the U.S. military, and nonprofit organizations. They are also known as continual improvement managers.
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Continuous improvement managers earned salaries that ranged from $69,000 to $133,000 in 2024, with a median of $97,000, according to PayScale.com. They earned bonuses that ranged from about $2,000 to $17,000, and profit sharing that ranged from $925 to $20,000. Employers offer a variety of benefit packages, which can include any of the following: paid holidays, vacations, and sick days; persona...
Work Environment
U.S. News & World Report has awarded the career of continuous improvement manager high letter grades because it offered low stress (A) and high personal satisfaction (A), and provided a benefit to society (B). Work environments for CIMs range from office settings, to factory floors, to laboratories. Although most work is performed inside, some CIMs occasionally operate outside to o...
Outlook
Job opportunities for CIMs should continue to be strong because as some industry experts put it, the field has no “finish line.” The business world is constantly changing and facing new challenges and competitors, which suggests that there will always be a need for CIMs to help organizations streamline their operations, reduce costs, and increase revenue. CIMs with advanced education, certifica...