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City manager vs area manager

The differences between city managers and area managers 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 city manager, becoming an area manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a city manager has an average salary of $76,188, which is higher than the $73,472 average annual salary of an area manager.

The top three skills for a city manager include human resources, economic development and oversight. The most important skills for an area manager are customer service, safety standards, and logistics.

City manager vs area manager overview

City ManagerArea Manager
Yearly salary$76,188$73,472
Hourly rate$36.63$35.32
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs8,928341,983
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 63%Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age5244
Years of experience-6

What does a city manager do?

A city manager is responsible for monitoring city operations and manage staff to advise programs and initiatives for the benefits of the citizens. City managers oversee community projects and allocate adequate resources to support functions and societal activities. They also serve as a liaison to clear political disputes and officer conflicts. A city manager attends community events and meetings to represent the city, provide progress updates, and coordinate with other local organizations for sponsorship and funding events.

What does an area manager do?

An Area Manager's responsibility is to oversee the business operations of all company branches within a particular area. Among the tasks involve creating strategies to achieve the sales target, monitoring and evaluating the performance and progress of stores including their workforce, adhering to the budget and regulations of the company, and focus on attaining the image and financial goals. Moreover, an Area Manager must communicate and coordinate with fellow managers and hire employees that would be a vital member of the company.

City manager vs area manager salary

City managers and area managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

City ManagerArea Manager
Average salary$76,188$73,472
Salary rangeBetween $40,000 And $142,000Between $50,000 And $107,000
Highest paying CityHayward, CANew York, NY
Highest paying stateCaliforniaNew York
Best paying companyAppleClifford Chance
Best paying industryStart-upTechnology

Differences between city manager and area manager education

There are a few differences between a city manager and an area manager in terms of educational background:

City ManagerArea Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 63%Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

City manager vs area manager demographics

Here are the differences between city managers' and area managers' demographics:

City ManagerArea Manager
Average age5244
Gender ratioMale, 69.6% Female, 30.4%Male, 69.1% Female, 30.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 7.6% White, 76.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage12%10%

Differences between city manager and area manager duties and responsibilities

City manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage debt issuance, debt service, redemptions and tax arbitrage calculations.
  • Interpret and apply GAAP and GASB and other applicable accounting guidelines.
  • Provide assistance in oversight and management of all city operations.
  • Deploy code enforcement oversight to counter deteriorating private properties as well as public infrastructure.
  • Complete major renovations and improvements to the city water plant and negotiate and purchase a new city police station building.
  • Save utility system from financial collapse while completing city wide meter installations with new water rate and tap fee schedules.
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Area manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage the recruitment, hiring, training and development of all depot distribution staff.
  • Used creativity and persistence to create new sales leads and run all provide leads.
  • Mark by achieving district s top shrink and performance (e.g., CPR) rates.
  • Manage Sortation area operations and escalate customer order fulfillment issues.
  • Manage operations in accordance with all regulatory (HSE) requirements and company procedures/guiding principles.
  • Implement and manage contracts for Medicaid while maintaining excellent relationships with key local agency executives.
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City manager vs area manager skills

Common city manager skills
  • Human Resources, 9%
  • Economic Development, 8%
  • Oversight, 7%
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • Public Works, 6%
  • Payroll, 6%
Common area manager skills
  • Customer Service, 18%
  • Safety Standards, 10%
  • Logistics, 8%
  • Excellent Interpersonal, 5%
  • Business Plan, 4%
  • Continuous Improvement, 4%

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