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City manager vs manager

The differences between city managers and 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 a manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a city manager has an average salary of $76,188, which is higher than the $58,651 average annual salary of a manager.

The top three skills for a city manager include human resources, economic development and oversight. The most important skills for a manager are customer service, payroll, and food safety.

City manager vs manager overview

City ManagerManager
Yearly salary$76,188$58,651
Hourly rate$36.63$28.20
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs8,9281,236,194
Job satisfaction-4.57
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 63%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
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 a manager do?

Managers are responsible for a specific department, function, or employee group. They oversee their assigned departments and all the employees under the department. Managers are responsible that the department they are handling is functioning well. They set the department goals and the steps they must take to achieve the goals. They are also in charge of assessing the performance of their departments and their employees. Additionally, managers are responsible for interviewing prospective candidates for department vacancies and assessing their fit to the needs of the department. Managers also set the general working environment in the department, and they are expected to ensure that their employees remain motivated.

City manager vs manager salary

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

City ManagerManager
Average salary$76,188$58,651
Salary rangeBetween $40,000 And $142,000Between $37,000 And $92,000
Highest paying CityHayward, CA-
Highest paying stateCaliforniaNew Jersey
Best paying companyApple-
Best paying industryStart-upFinance

Differences between city manager and manager education

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

City ManagerManager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 63%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

City manager vs manager demographics

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

City ManagerManager
Average age5244
Gender ratioMale, 69.6% Female, 30.4%Male, 51.0% Female, 49.0%
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 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.
  • Show more

Manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage both BOH and FOH operations exceeding company specifications.
  • Manage logistics and security for high net worth individuals and corporations.
  • Manage budgets and payroll records, review financial transactions to assure expenditures are authorize and budget.
  • Guide and manage the administrative day-to-day academic program and the implementation of strategies by providing leadership to faculty and staff.
  • Provide leadership and direction to facility management and program owners while motivating and interacting with employees to achieve continuous improvement.
  • Customer-Orient with experience with POS systems, food preparation and safety regulations.
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City manager vs manager skills

Common city manager skills
  • Human Resources, 9%
  • Economic Development, 8%
  • Oversight, 7%
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • Public Works, 6%
  • Payroll, 6%
Common manager skills
  • Customer Service, 19%
  • Payroll, 9%
  • Food Safety, 8%
  • Financial Statements, 4%
  • Management, 4%
  • PowerPoint, 4%

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