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The differences between category managers and media 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 a media manager. Additionally, a category manager has an average salary of $102,035, which is higher than the $96,475 average annual salary of a media manager.
The top three skills for a category manager include strategic sourcing, category strategy and supplier performance. The most important skills for a media manager are digital marketing, kpis, and media planning.
| Category Manager | Media Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $102,035 | $96,475 |
| Hourly rate | $49.06 | $46.38 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 108,424 | 110,888 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| 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.
Media managers oversee the department that works on the different communication needs of the company. They execute the communications strategies of the company. They are expected to be updated with the current trends on media platforms. They should also be very familiar with the company and are attuned to the company's brand and image so that they can create relevant communications campaigns. Media managers oversee content creation on different media platforms. They manage the research related to the content they are working on. They develop materials and ensure that these materials are engaging and relatable to the target audience.
Category managers and media managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Category Manager | Media Manager | |
| Average salary | $102,035 | $96,475 |
| Salary range | Between $74,000 And $138,000 | Between $66,000 And $140,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Pennsylvania |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a category manager and a media manager in terms of educational background:
| Category Manager | Media Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Most common major | Business | Communication |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between category managers' and media managers' demographics:
| Category Manager | Media Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.7% Female, 44.3% | Male, 51.7% Female, 48.3% |
| 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% |