How long does it take to become a senior manager?

Depending on your education level, you can advance faster to a senior position. For example, someone with a doctorate may take only a year or two working as a manager before being promoted to senior manager.

While someone with a master's degree may take three to five years, and someone with a bachelor's degree may take about five to ten years working as a manager before being promoted to senior manager.

The educational level also impacts your ability to get promoted from senior manager to general manager. For example, a senior manager with a doctorate may only need three to four years of experience.

At the same time, someone with a master's degree may require at least six years working as a senior manager before being considered for promotion to the general manager (i.e., executive director). A senior manager with just a bachelor's degree may need to work eight to ten years before eligibility for promotion.