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The differences between business owners and business unit managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a business owner and a business unit manager. Additionally, a business unit manager has an average salary of $122,782, which is higher than the $50,934 average annual salary of a business owner.
The top three skills for a business owner include customer service, payroll and financial statements. The most important skills for a business unit manager are continuous improvement, customer service, and product line.
| Business Owner | Business Unit Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $50,934 | $122,782 |
| Hourly rate | $24.49 | $59.03 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 107,663 | 295,151 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Business owners, also known as Entrepreneurs, are responsible for their company and brand's success. There are many areas of responsibility when you're a business owner, such as in the aspects of planning and budgeting, arranging finances and legal documentation, and even hiring the workforce essential for the business to grow. However, these responsibilities will vary according to how a business owner will uphold them. Moreover, building a business from the ground up requires dedication and a vision and mission for the brand.
A business unit manager handles a unit or segment of the company. This unit may be a specialized team on specific projects or a part of a significant production process. The business unit manager ensures that the unit works efficiently and productively by implementing strategies and techniques that will enhance the productive output. A business unit manager also provides suggestions, offers solutions to problems, handles tasks delegation, planning production processes, and training and monitoring of employees in a unit.
Business owners and business unit managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Business Owner | Business Unit Manager | |
| Average salary | $50,934 | $122,782 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $94,000 | Between $81,000 And $184,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | East Providence, RI |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | BD | Citi |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Technology |
There are a few differences between a business owner and a business unit manager in terms of educational background:
| Business Owner | Business Unit Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between business owners' and business unit managers' demographics:
| Business Owner | Business Unit Manager | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.4% Female, 48.6% | Male, 82.8% Female, 17.2% |
| 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, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |