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The differences between catering managers and beverage managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a catering manager and a beverage manager. Additionally, a beverage manager has an average salary of $53,129, which is higher than the $51,962 average annual salary of a catering manager.
The top three skills for a catering manager include customer service, culinary and food service. The most important skills for a beverage manager are wine, customer service, and BARS.
| Catering Manager | Beverage Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $51,962 | $53,129 |
| Hourly rate | $24.98 | $25.54 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 88,658 | 90,318 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Catering managers are responsible for managing the daily catering operations and services in hotels, restaurants, and resorts. They monitor the quality of food and service provided by their outlets as well as make sure they are presented well. Their goals include achieving high customer satisfaction, producing excellent quality food, and maintaining that sanitary protocols are strictly followed. A degree is not a standard requirement for this job; however, employers do value those who have relevant qualifications with food, home, hotel, and hospitality management.
A beverage manager oversees the beverage programs of dining and drinking establishments, from planning to execution. Their job is to manage the day-to-day operations, supervise and delegate responsibilities among staff, organize schedules and activities, set objectives and guidelines, monitor inventories to ensure an adequate supply of beverages, and coordinate with suppliers to purchase orders, building positive business relationships in the process. Moreover, a beverage manager monitors operations and resolves issues promptly and professionally, all while implementing policies and regulations.
Catering managers and beverage managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Catering Manager | Beverage Manager | |
| Average salary | $51,962 | $53,129 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $71,000 | Between $39,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Clara, CA | Atlantic City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Brigham and Women's Hospital | PalmerHouse Properties |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a catering manager and a beverage manager in terms of educational background:
| Catering Manager | Beverage Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between catering managers' and beverage managers' demographics:
| Catering Manager | Beverage Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.7% Female, 63.3% | Male, 69.0% Female, 31.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 8.4% White, 57.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 8.4% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |