The Belt Hierarchy

Lean Six Sigma borrows its ranking from martial arts, with each belt representing deeper process improvement expertise.

Belt by Belt

  • White Belt: basic awareness
  • Yellow Belt: team participation
  • Green Belt: leads small projects
  • Black Belt: leads complex projects full time
  • Master Black Belt: coaches and shapes strategy

Where to Start

Most professionals begin at Green Belt — it delivers the best balance of investment and career impact.