Branch manager vs area manager

The differences between branch managers and area managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a branch manager, becoming an area manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an area manager has an average salary of $73,472, which is higher than the $56,291 average annual salary of a branch manager.

The top three skills for a branch manager include customer satisfaction, business development and branch management. The most important skills for an area manager are customer service, safety standards, and logistics.

Branch manager vs area manager overview

	Branch Manager	Area Manager
Yearly salary	$56,291	$73,472
Hourly rate	$27.06	$35.32
Growth rate	17%	6%
Number of jobs	333,883	341,983
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age	46	44
Years of experience	8	6

What does a branch manager do?

Branch managers oversee the company's field office. This position is usually present in industries such as banking and food service. Branch managers are responsible for all aspects of the branch operations, including, but not limited to, finances, marketing, quality control, and human resources. They ensure that the goals of the branch are met in the most efficient way possible. They balance the needs of both the organization and the employees in the department. Branch managers are also expected to have a hand in training the employees to be useful members of the organization.

What does an area manager do?

An Area Manager's responsibility is to oversee the business operations of all company branches within a particular area. Among the tasks involve creating strategies to achieve the sales target, monitoring and evaluating the performance and progress of stores including their workforce, adhering to the budget and regulations of the company, and focus on attaining the image and financial goals. Moreover, an Area Manager must communicate and coordinate with fellow managers and hire employees that would be a vital member of the company.

Branch manager vs area manager salary

Branch managers and area managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Branch Manager	Area Manager
Average salary	$56,291	$73,472
Salary range	Between $39,000 And $80,000	Between $50,000 And $107,000
Highest paying City	Oakland, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Alaska	New York
Best paying company	FNB	Clifford Chance
Best paying industry	Professional	Technology

Differences between branch manager and area manager education

There are a few differences between a branch manager and an area manager in terms of educational background:

	Branch Manager	Area Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	University of Pennsylvania

Branch manager vs area manager demographics

Here are the differences between branch managers' and area managers' demographics:

	Branch Manager	Area Manager
Average age	46	44
Gender ratio	Male, 59.8% Female, 40.2%	Male, 69.1% Female, 30.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 7.8% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	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%
LGBT Percentage	11%	10%

Differences between branch manager and area manager duties and responsibilities

Branch manager example responsibilities.

Manage and coordinate a high volume sales pipeline from beginning to closing while ensuring all RESPA regulations are met.
Warehouse operations plus office duties, A/P, A/R.
Support A/R, A/P, and provide data analyzation from 12 branches to assist with annual budgeting projections/forecasting.
Provide leadership for sales, customer service, operations, compliance, and ethics as branch manager of an in-store branch.
Educate staff in areas of bank secrecy, bank regulations, and internal audit policy.
Train agents and managers using office generate PowerPoint presentations, company flip charts and training videos.

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Area manager example responsibilities.

Manage the recruitment, hiring, training and development of all depot distribution staff.
Used creativity and persistence to create new sales leads and run all provide leads.
Mark by achieving district s top shrink and performance (e.g., CPR) rates.
Manage Sortation area operations and escalate customer order fulfillment issues.
Manage operations in accordance with all regulatory (HSE) requirements and company procedures/guiding principles.
Implement and manage contracts for Medicaid while maintaining excellent relationships with key local agency executives.

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Branch manager vs area manager skills

Common branch manager skills

Customer Satisfaction, 8%
Business Development, 7%
Branch Management, 5%
Human Resources, 5%
Financial Statements, 5%
Performance Management, 4%

Common area manager skills

Customer Service, 18%
Safety Standards, 10%
Logistics, 8%
Excellent Interpersonal, 5%
Business Plan, 4%
Continuous Improvement, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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