Lean Six Sigma is a framework that combines two quality control and efficiency methodologies, Lean and Six Sigma, in order to optimize processes, increase profits and provide a better product or service to consumers. These two frameworks offer two strategies:
- Lean methodology uses continuous improvement projects to minimize inefficiency and waste related to time and resources.
- The Six Sigma framework focuses on quality control, seeking to eliminate product defects.
Since the combined framework was developed in the United States in the 1990s, it has become a powerful tool that businesses in any industry around the world can use to improve their operations and accomplish their goals. As such, many business professionals seek Lean Six Sigma (LSS) training to support their organizations and their own career advancement.
Lean Six Sigma consists of five levels of expertise (referred to as “belts”) that indicate the different achievements and responsibilities of an LSS professional. One of the most common and highly recognized levels is the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, which indicates that a professional is able to lead process or quality improvement projects as a part of their full-time job. Completing a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certificate program from a university like UC Davis is a great way to earn Green Belt status and signal your value to employers.
In a hurry? Skip to the sections you need:
- Benefits of a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
- Six Sigma Green Belt Salaries and Career Paths
- How UC Davis’s LSS Green Belt Prepares You for Success
Benefits of a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
An LSS Green Belt credential is designed to equip professionals with skills and knowledge in the domains of:
- Process improvement
- Waste reduction
- Efficiency enhancement
- Quality management
Green Belt certificates will offer a curriculum that provides practical expertise in all of these areas, teaching you to make sustainable, continuous improvements in any organization. This is beneficial for many reasons, as employees with this knowledge will be able to improve business processes and offer a more consistent level of quality. By optimizing processes and improving production, Green Belts can help their organization to:
- Improve customer service, retention and reputation
- Decrease costs associated with poor quality control, like refunds, recalls and wasted materials
“Change can come from anywhere, from the bottom-up or the top-down. The concepts at the core of Lean Six Sigma demonstrate this — change doesn’t have to come from your CEO or your leadership. Oftentimes, the more important person who can enact change is the person closest to the work, the person on the factory floor or processing that paperwork or interacting directly with the customers.”
These skills can have an incredible positive effect on your career advancement. Green Belt training is widely applicable, which signifies to employers that you are able to improve efficiency and quality in a range of functions, departments and industries. Certificate programs develop your practical skills and get experience with tools that can be implemented immediately in your organization — meaning that you’ll start seeing results in a matter of weeks.
Six Sigma Green Belt Salaries and Career Paths
Since LSS training is widely applicable, those with Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certificates can pursue a range of roles across industries, depending on their additional education, experience and location. Green Belts are particularly well-suited to roles that involve:
- Quality control
- Process improvement
- Project management
- Information management
- Leadership
Since a Green Belt doesn’t prepare you for just one role or job function, salaries can also vary based on a variety of factors. However, it is well-known that LSS training is respected across industries, and may lead to increases in salary.
Relevant Industries for Green Belts
Lean Six Sigma training is designed to provide professionals with skills that can be applied in any industry, from business to technology to engineering and beyond. Among these, several industries and fields stand out as particularly suitable for LSS Green Belt holders. Manufacturing, healthcare and IT are particularly relevant, but any industry that necessitates quality control and efficiency can benefit from well-training Lean Six Sigma professionals. These methodologies are expanding globally too — meaning that LSS professionals can apply these frameworks with international partners or in global companies.
Top companies hiring LSS-trained talent within the technology industry include Atos, a leading IT service provider, and Dell, a leading manufacturer of computers and computer equipment. In the manufacturing sector, GE Vernova and GE Aerospace, which manufacture energy and aircraft equipment, respectively, are known to prioritize hiring Lean Six Sigma professionals as well.
Why did General Electric split into three companies — GE Vernova, GE Aerospace and GE Healthcare? In part, due to recommendations by Lean Six Sigma professionals! In 2021, General Electric split into three distinct companies to better meet customer needs by improving operational focus, accountability and agility. This decision was supported by GE’s “culture of continuous improvement and lean [operations]”, which are core to Lean Six Sigma methodology.
Salary Trends & Demand
Lean Six Sigma has enjoyed a long-standing reputation in the U.S. as a valuable form of professional development. Recently, this reputation has expanded beyond the United States, with Lean Six Sigma frameworks expanding to organizations and companies around the world.
The Lean Six Sigma methodology’s effectiveness speaks for itself: Lightcast, a leading labor market data analytics organization, estimates that 55,000 job postings in 2024 asked for Lean Six Sigma training. In addition, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 7% growth in project management specialist roles between 2023 and 2033, pointing to a broader focus on improved efficiency and quality in projects.
Professionals who completed an upskilling program saw an average salary increase of 8.6%, and 75% of workers who participated in an upskilling program saw some kind of career advancement.
Given the high demand for LSS training, it makes sense that employers are willing to offer higher salaries to professionals with Green Belt certification. According to Payscale, the average salary for certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt holders is about $95,000 annually, but can climb even higher for managers, leaders and senior-level employees. Other sources estimate an even higher average salary for Green Belts. Lightcast notes that the median advertised salary for a Green Belt is $103,000.
Careers with a Green Belt
| Job Title | Median Annual Salary* |
|---|---|
| Continuous improvement specialist | $85,200 |
| Quality manager | $102,700 |
| IT project manager | $116,600 |
| Operational excellence manager | $132,900 |
Source: Lightcast
*Completing a certificate does not guarantee a position or salary. These can vary depending on factors such as years of experience, position and geographic location.
Continuous Improvement Specialist
Median Annual Salary: $85,200 (Lightcast)
These professionals leverage their expertise in process improvement to make meaningful changes to production processes that improve critical parameters, such as efficiency, quality, production consistency and more.
Continuous improvement specialists often take an iterative approach to process improvement, making changes on an ongoing basis for sustained positive change. Lean Six Sigma Green Belt holders are trained in key practices related to this domain, such as the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) framework, which is key to iterative and incremental improvement.
Quality Manager
Median Annual Salary: $102,700 (Lightcast)
Quality managers, like continuous improvement specialists, are tasked with finding ways to improve production processes. However, these professionals take a careful focus on product quality, and are directly responsible for ensuring that the organization is able to meet established quality standards. Quality managers also establish or implement new and improved quality standards, and identify opportunities for improvement in production quality.
Quality managers will also need to leverage management competencies to achieve positive outcomes in quality control. Green Belts will learn important skills, such as statistical analysis and process mapping, to prepare for roles like these.
IT Project Manager
Median Annual Salary: $116,600 (Lightcast)
Overseeing IT projects can involve a range of tasks, such as:
- Communicating between stakeholders and operations teams
- Identifying and establishing clear project goals
- Ensuring that teams have the resources they need to succeed
- Leading projects from start to finish
IT project management requires a careful focus on operational efficiency and quality control. These are crucial because projects often need to meet specific parameters in order to be considered truly successful. These can include common IT metrics like project delivery time, average time to resolution or bug count. Lean Six Sigma is particularly relevant to IT teams and departments, due to a strong emphasis on data-driven solutions to complex organizational problems.
Operational Excellence Manager
Median Annual Salary: $132,900 (Lightcast)
These management professionals are tasked with fostering operational excellence within organizations. Each organization will have their own definitions and goals for organizational excellence, but it will typically involve promoting operational capability by:
- Enhancing cross-departmental collaboration
- Making meaningful improvements to production processes and standard operating procedures
- Supporting teams in adhering to standards, processes and procedures
Operational excellence managers employ trusted methodologies such as Lean Six Sigma in order to systematically identify areas for improvement in both quality and efficiency.
How UC Davis’s LSS Green Belt Prepares You for Success
UC Davis offers aspiring Lean Six Sigma professionals a comprehensive Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate to prepare for formal LSS certification. This comprehensive non-credit program provides learners with time-tested LSS tools and strategies, as well as cutting-edge methodologies for innovative process improvement. The LSS Green Belt Certificate provides key insights and crucial training in areas like:
- Data collection and management
- Problem statements
- Process maps
- Root cause and value stream analysis techniques
- Change management
Many commercial providers offer short upskilling courses in Lean and Six Sigma methodologies, but these courses are typically not very comprehensive — meaning that you get a point to put on your resume, but may not get the skills to make an impact. Provided by the AACSB-accredited UC Davis Graduate School of Management, the LSS Green Belt Certificate provides a high-quality learning experience that you can connect to your career in a meaningful way.
“The world is changing. Systemic issues that have been under the surface for years are surfacing and people want to change the way they work. Companies need people with Lean Six Sigma experience who can identify these systemic issues, gain insights into why they’re happening and create data-driven plans to lead to real change.”
Learn More about the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate from UC Davis
The UC Davis Graduate School of Management’s online Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate that empowers you to identify systemic issues, implement better processes and make lasting change in an organization. You’ll work through 10 modules over 10 weeks, and by the time you finish the course, you’ll be equipped with a time-tested set of tools that you can apply to any industry in order to reduce waste and foster an environment of continuous improvement.
The UC Davis Graduate School of Management prepares the next generation of inspired, innovative and collaborative leaders who are committed to making a positive impact. Every day, our community of faculty, students, alumni and staff is making an impact at Fortune 500 firms, mid-sized companies and promising startups by helping to put new ideas into action.
Learn more about our Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate by downloading a brochure, or get registered today!