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The differences between assistant department managers and dept managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an assistant department manager and a dept manager. Additionally, a dept manager has an average salary of $50,222, which is higher than the $43,686 average annual salary of an assistant department manager.
The top three skills for an assistant department manager include standard operating procedure, customer service and work ethic. The most important skills for a dept manager are customer service, sales floor, and pallet jack.
| Assistant Department Manager | Dept Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $43,686 | $50,222 |
| Hourly rate | $21.00 | $24.15 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 199,757 | 221,313 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An assistant department manager is responsible for supporting the assigned department operations under the supervision of the head department manager. Assistant department managers oversee the performance of the staff, ensuring the highest productivity with quality services. They also assist in budget allocation, coordinating with the senior management for expenses reports, and suggest cost reduction strategies. An assistant department manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills, especially on coordinating with business partners for project deliverables and maximize the staff's potential by arranging department training and programs.
A department manager is responsible for monitoring the operations of the assigned department, ensuring the maximum productivity and optimal performance of the staff. Department managers also coordinate with business partners, clients, and customers, as well as identifying business opportunities to drive more revenues and increase profitability. They handle department budgets and maintain the proper allocation of resources to support project management and deliverables. A department manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills, managing the staff's needs, and providing excellent support.
Assistant department managers and dept managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistant Department Manager | Dept Manager | |
| Average salary | $43,686 | $50,222 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $72,000 | Between $28,000 And $87,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Bay Shore, NY |
| Highest paying state | - | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | - | UPMC |
| Best paying industry | - | Retail |
There are a few differences between an assistant department manager and a dept manager in terms of educational background:
| Assistant Department Manager | Dept Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi |
Here are the differences between assistant department managers' and dept managers' demographics:
| Assistant Department Manager | Dept Manager | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.4% Female, 49.6% | Male, 52.5% Female, 47.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 6.7% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |