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The differences between category managers and associate product managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 8-10 years to become both a category manager and an associate product manager. Additionally, a category manager has an average salary of $102,035, which is higher than the $89,963 average annual salary of an associate product manager.
The top three skills for a category manager include strategic sourcing, category strategy and supplier performance. The most important skills for an associate product manager are product management, project management, and user stories.
| Category Manager | Associate Product Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $102,035 | $89,963 |
| Hourly rate | $49.06 | $43.25 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 108,424 | 107,763 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 10 |
Category managers are usually employed in the retail industry. They are primarily responsible for the sales enhancement of a specific group of products. The managers are involved in pricing, marketing, inventory, and vendor management. Their daily tasks include meeting with suppliers to talk about the plans, conducting orientation to the market research company, and updating category reports. Qualified applicants must have a degree in business administration or a related field as well as relevant job experience in a related job.
An associate product manager is someone who assists the product development teams in the development of new product features. The duties of an associate include formulation of product strategies, collection of quantitative product data, and interpretation of consumer feedback. The requirements to qualify for the position include a bachelor's degree in computer science, marketing, business management, or a related field, the ability to maintain strong customer relations, and excellent communication skills.
Category managers and associate product managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Category Manager | Associate Product Manager | |
| Average salary | $102,035 | $89,963 |
| Salary range | Between $74,000 And $138,000 | Between $65,000 And $122,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | California |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a category manager and an associate product manager in terms of educational background:
| Category Manager | Associate Product Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between category managers' and associate product managers' demographics:
| Category Manager | Associate Product Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.7% Female, 44.3% | Male, 45.0% Female, 55.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |