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Job outlook for category managers in the United States
Are category manager jobs in demand?
Category manager job and salary trends over time
Category manager jobs over time
Category manager job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,216 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 2,149 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 2,097 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 1,912 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 1,741 | 0.00% |
Average category manager salary over time
Category manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $102,035 | $49.06 | +3.9% |
| 2025 | $98,217 | $47.22 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $96,379 | $46.34 | +1.6% |
| 2023 | $94,901 | $45.63 | +0.8% |
| 2022 | $94,147 | $45.26 | +1.9% |
Category manager jobs by state
Most common states for category managers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 454 | 65% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,965 | 29% |
| 3 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,995 | 27% |
| 4 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 950 | 23% |
| 5 | California | 39,536,653 | 8,560 | 22% |
| 6 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 2,705 | 21% |
| 7 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 647 | 21% |
| 8 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,008 | 18% |
| 9 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 187 | 18% |
| 10 | Vermont | 623,657 | 110 | 18% |
| 11 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,722 | 17% |
| 12 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 594 | 17% |
| 13 | Delaware | 961,939 | 165 | 17% |
| 14 | New York | 19,849,399 | 3,143 | 16% |
| 15 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,424 | 16% |
| 16 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,344 | 16% |
| 17 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 885 | 16% |
| 18 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 182 | 14% |
| 19 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 807 | 13% |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,598 | 12% |
Most common cities for category managers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wilmington | 4 | 6% | $93,851 |
| 2 | Bowling Green | 3 | 5% | $84,017 |
| 3 | Lansing | 4 | 3% | $106,298 |
| 4 | Dearborn | 3 | 3% | $107,106 |
| 5 | Atlanta | 8 | 2% | $88,997 |
| 6 | Tampa | 8 | 2% | $83,398 |
| 7 | Little Rock | 3 | 2% | $84,038 |
| 8 | Phoenix | 12 | 1% | $93,287 |
| 9 | Boston | 4 | 1% | $104,884 |
| 10 | Sacramento | 4 | 1% | $127,192 |
| 11 | Baton Rouge | 3 | 1% | $105,640 |
| 12 | Miami | 3 | 1% | $76,833 |
| 13 | Montgomery | 3 | 1% | $75,876 |
| 14 | Chicago | 7 | 0% | $91,367 |
| 15 | San Diego | 4 | 0% | $106,245 |
| 16 | Denver | 3 | 0% | $78,046 |
| 17 | Indianapolis | 3 | 0% | $91,633 |
| 18 | San Jose | 3 | 0% | $127,214 |
Category Manager job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of category manager experts
University of Houston - Downtown
Berea College
Wisconsin School of Business, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Dr. Richard Conde Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Houston - Downtown
Marilyn Davies College of Business
What soft skills should all Category Managers possess?
Dr. Richard Conde Ph.D.: The need for soft skills are consistent through time. With our societal focus on social media, texting, emojis, etc. It appears to me companies are looking for the following:
- Active listening skills
- Willingness to be self-reflective and accept feedback
- Accept different perspectives. The collision of ideas creates knowledge
- Communicate to the listener (at their level). Flex communicators
- Cultural intelligence. Demographics changes will require better understanding of team member's, boss', customer's, etc. cultural context
J. Ian Norris Ph.D.
Professor of Marketing and Fellow, American Council on EducationBerea College
Economics and Business Department
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Category Managers?
J. Ian Norris Ph.D.: Digital marketing skills are essential for any area of marketing. Luckily there are many online certifications available for this purpose. On the research side, Google Analytics offers a certification. It will also be valuable to know the analytics platforms on social media sites such as facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Conversely, all of these sites also offer training on digital advertising and promotion, such as Google AdWords. Any coursework in digital marketing that provides instruction in Search Engine Marketing (SEM) will also be highly valuable. Finally, digital video and editing skills are also quite valuable, as all kinds of companies and organizations are using the short video format for storytelling and brand advertising.
Sachin Tuli
Director, International Business MajorWisconsin School of Business, University of Wisconsin-Madison
International Business
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Category Managers?
Sachin Tuli: Certainly there will be impact on graduates as there will be impact on society as a whole - but which impact? If economic, we serve students from a variety of national backgrounds, so depending on where our students go after graduation their local economy recoveries could diverge from the global average and that could effect both the job market and salaries. For instance, China is forecasted to continue recovering due to its proactive lock downs and ability to serve foreign markets through this past year. In the U.S., where the majority of our students stay, a strong vaccine program, safety net supports and stimulus will help ensure a recovery at large and likely a post-Covid bump. Though the recovery will be uneven, our students primarily head to medium and large firms that will be well poised to hire, or which may have experienced growth through the pandemic. There will be other impacts on personal finances, health and mental health, among others, that should also be considered. The pandemic has laid bare the inequities in society, and firms are pledging to help address these issues through various actions, such as diversity and inclusion initiatives, and proactive internal training and education.