City manager vs chief executive officer

The differences between city managers and chief executive officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes More than 10 years to become both a city manager and a chief executive officer. Additionally, a chief executive officer has an average salary of $192,260, which is higher than the $76,188 average annual salary of a city manager.

The top three skills for a city manager include human resources, economic development and oversight. The most important skills for a chief executive officer are healthcare, patients, and patient care.

City manager vs chief executive officer overview

	City Manager	Chief Executive Officer
Yearly salary	$76,188	$192,260
Hourly rate	$36.63	$92.43
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	8,928	149,185
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age	52	52
Years of experience	-	-

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 a chief executive officer do?

A chief executive officer is the overall head of the company's operations. Chief executive officers are responsible for making corporate decisions that would define the company's performance in the market. A chief executive officer must display exceptional leadership and decision-making skills to create business growth and development strategies. The chief executive officers also provide a regular business update to the board regarding the company's status. They should also be able to identify business opportunities and create long-lasting, professional relationships with business partners and other organizations.

City manager vs chief executive officer salary

City managers and chief executive officers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	City Manager	Chief Executive Officer
Average salary	$76,188	$192,260
Salary range	Between $40,000 And $142,000	Between $104,000 And $354,000
Highest paying City	Hayward, CA	Urban Honolulu, HI
Highest paying state	California	Hawaii
Best paying company	Apple	Alecto Healthcare Services LLC
Best paying industry	Start-up	Start-up

Differences between city manager and chief executive officer education

There are a few differences between a city manager and a chief executive officer in terms of educational background:

	City Manager	Chief Executive Officer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

City manager vs chief executive officer demographics

Here are the differences between city managers' and chief executive officers' demographics:

	City Manager	Chief Executive Officer
Average age	52	52
Gender ratio	Male, 69.6% Female, 30.4%	Male, 68.5% Female, 31.5%
Race ratio	Black 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, 3.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 7.8% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between city manager and chief executive officer 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.

Chief executive officer example responsibilities.

Manage the bidding process by reviewing all RFP and preparing responses.
Manage complex Google, Facebook, SEO/Content, drip email, behavior base emails, and so much more.
Manage and grow Instagram accounts of large and small businesses as well as individual accounts such as models and singers.
Design, execute, and manage the construction and d cor of store location and seasonal windows of old store location.
Develop an IP within the e-Gaming & mobile-gaming world that can achieve ad revenue greater than Google or Facebook potentially combine.
Source and manage contractors for frontend JavaScript development.

City manager vs chief executive officer skills

Common city manager skills

Human Resources, 9%
Economic Development, 8%
Oversight, 7%
Customer Service, 6%
Public Works, 6%
Payroll, 6%

Common chief executive officer skills

Healthcare, 13%
Patients, 10%
Patient Care, 8%
Customer Service, 8%
Financial Management, 6%
Oversight, 5%

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City Manager vs Chief Executive Officer

Updated January 8, 2025

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