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The differences between associate managers and sales associate/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 associate manager and a sales associate/manager. Additionally, an associate manager has an average salary of $83,246, which is higher than the $41,412 average annual salary of a sales associate/manager.
The top three skills for an associate manager include PET, POS and sales floor. The most important skills for a sales associate/manager are customer service, sales floor, and strong customer service.
| Associate Manager | Sales Associate/Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $83,246 | $41,412 |
| Hourly rate | $40.02 | $19.91 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 420,292 | 318,977 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Associate managers are responsible for overseeing the support and clerical staff of the company. They recruit and train employees who perform different tasks that include greeting customers, answering phones, and faxing documents. They also perform other duties, including keeping employees' motivation, ensuring that everyone understands the company's guidelines and policies, and supervising other staff members. To be qualified as an associate manager, one should have a high school diploma, leadership skills, and a strong work ethic. One should also have the necessary computer skills, bookkeeping skills, and customer service skills.
As the name entails, sales associates or associate managers are responsible for helping the store manager organize and run the retail stores. Their roles and responsibilities include ensuring that the store's goals are met by the sales team, hiring and training sales staff, and monitoring inventory. They are also expected to analyze consumer behavior, look for competitive products in the market, and communicate and evaluate clients' needs. To be qualified for this position, you should have experience as an assistant manager, organizational and leadership skills, and proficiency in MS Office.
Associate managers and sales associate/managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Manager | Sales Associate/Manager | |
| Average salary | $83,246 | $41,412 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $124,000 | Between $30,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Salem, VA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | PayPal | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an associate manager and a sales associate/manager in terms of educational background:
| Associate Manager | Sales Associate/Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi |
Here are the differences between associate managers' and sales associate/managers' demographics:
| Associate Manager | Sales Associate/Manager | |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5% | Male, 44.2% Female, 55.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 9% |