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The differences between assistant managers and supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an assistant manager, becoming a supervisor takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a supervisor has an average salary of $53,902, which is higher than the $39,127 average annual salary of an assistant manager.
The top three skills for an assistant manager include paperwork, cleanliness and customer service. The most important skills for a supervisor are customer service, safety procedures, and sales floor.
| Assistant Manager | Supervisor | |
| Yearly salary | $39,127 | $53,902 |
| Hourly rate | $18.81 | $25.91 |
| Growth rate | 6% | - |
| Number of jobs | 566,132 | 224,920 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.5 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
An assistant manager provides assistance and support to the direct manager in ensuring that the business runs smoothly with guaranteed satisfaction. An associate manager helps organize daily projects and manages employees to make sure that tasks are being done in a timely and accurate manner. Assistant managers are also expected to develop a good relationship with the whole workforce and clients to contribute to a successful and healthy workplace. An assistant manager is also required to present practical strategies for business growth, monitor daily operations, and communicate with clients for any possible suggestions and complaints.
Supervisors are responsible for overseeing the daily functions of employees in a specific team, department, or even a work shift. They create work schedules, organize work processes and workflows, train new hires, provide necessary reports related to the team function and the employees, monitor and evaluate employee performance, and ensure that goals of the specific team or department are met. When needed, supervisors also provide guidance to employees in terms of their career or even personal challenges. They also help in fostering harmonious work relationships by resolving interpersonal conflicts at work. To be successful in their role, they must have leadership skills, time management skills, decision-making capabilities, analytical skills, and problem-solving skills.
Assistant managers and supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistant Manager | Supervisor | |
| Average salary | $39,127 | $53,902 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $64,000 | Between $31,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett | Reed Smith |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an assistant manager and a supervisor in terms of educational background:
| Assistant Manager | Supervisor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between assistant managers' and supervisors' demographics:
| Assistant Manager | Supervisor | |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.0% Female, 58.0% | Male, 55.8% Female, 44.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 4.6% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 6% |