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The differences between channel managers and national sales managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a channel manager and a national sales manager. Additionally, a national sales manager has an average salary of $102,742, which is higher than the $87,573 average annual salary of a channel manager.
The top three skills for a channel manager include customer service, CRM and digital marketing. The most important skills for a national sales manager are customer service, product development, and trade shows.
| Channel Manager | National Sales Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $87,573 | $102,742 |
| Hourly rate | $42.10 | $49.40 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 106,753 | 94,554 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
A channel manager is responsible for supervising client relations within the assigned partner accounts. Channel managers handle the project management strategies to achieve clients' satisfaction by following their specifications and requirements. They manage marketing and promotional campaigns to improve brand awareness of the target market audience. A channel manager also oversees media relations techniques, as well as publishing digital content that would attract customers and generate more revenue resources for the business. A channel manager coordinates with channel partners for maintaining optimal performance and maximum productivity.
A national sales manager is responsible for leading a large group of sales teams, monitoring sales performance, and implementing strategic sales procedures to drive revenues and achieve the organization's profitability goals. National sales managers identify business opportunities by analyzing current market trends and closing business partnerships to boost the company's brand popularity and attract more customers. They also monitor marketing strategies and negotiate continuous agreements with existing customers to keep them purchasing the company's services. A national sales manager creates sales forecasts, ensuring that the services provided by the organization align with the standard budget goals.
Channel managers and national sales managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Channel Manager | National Sales Manager | |
| Average salary | $87,573 | $102,742 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $121,000 | Between $67,000 And $155,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sunnyvale, CA | Hartford, CT |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | NetApp |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a channel manager and a national sales manager in terms of educational background:
| Channel Manager | National Sales Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between channel managers' and national sales managers' demographics:
| Channel Manager | National Sales Manager | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9% | Male, 80.4% Female, 19.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.1% White, 78.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.1% White, 78.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |