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The differences between chief operating officers and operating partners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes More than 10 years to become a chief operating officer, becoming an operating partner takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a chief operating officer has an average salary of $136,604, which is higher than the $93,101 average annual salary of an operating partner.
The top three skills for a chief operating officer include healthcare, customer service and oversight. The most important skills for an operating partner are project management, shared services, and digital marketing.
| Chief Operating Officer | Operating Partner | |
| Yearly salary | $136,604 | $93,101 |
| Hourly rate | $65.67 | $44.76 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 128,993 | 144,208 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 52 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
A chief operating officer, also known as a COO, is a high-ranking official who oversees a company or organization's daily administrative and overall operations. They are typically the second in the chain of command, reporting directly to the company's chief executive officer, also known as a CEO. Among their duties include developing strategies and guidelines, reviewing reports, performing assessments, and implementing the company's policies, standards, and regulations. Additionally, they lead and empower staff to reach goals, helping solve issues and concerns when any arise.
An operating partner coordinates a portfolio company's efforts and serves as the liaison between private equity firms. They typically assess and manage teams, set objectives, establish guidelines and timelines, conduct market research and analyses, and assist teams in developing various operational strategies. They also gather and analyze extensive data, identify the strengths and weaknesses of existing processes, recommend solutions against problem areas, and create methods to optimize operations. Moreover, an operating partner must maintain an active communication line with staff while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Chief operating officers and operating partners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chief Operating Officer | Operating Partner | |
| Average salary | $136,604 | $93,101 |
| Salary range | Between $81,000 And $229,000 | Between $55,000 And $156,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Virginia |
| Best paying company | Baker McKenzie | Teradata |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a chief operating officer and an operating partner in terms of educational background:
| Chief Operating Officer | Operating Partner | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between chief operating officers' and operating partners' demographics:
| Chief Operating Officer | Operating Partner | |
| Average age | 52 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.6% Female, 23.4% | Male, 78.8% Female, 21.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% Asian, 7.5% White, 76.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 10% |