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The differences between client managers and key account 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 client manager and a key account manager. Additionally, a key account manager has an average salary of $102,315, which is higher than the $88,768 average annual salary of a client manager.
The top three skills for a client manager include customer service, account management and client facing. The most important skills for a key account manager are account management, customer service, and patients.
| Client Manager | Key Account Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $88,768 | $102,315 |
| Hourly rate | $42.68 | $49.19 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 118,707 | 160,992 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
A client manager acts as a liaison between the company and its clients. You are expected to ensure client satisfaction and excellent customer service. Your duties typically include managing client relationships, delivering proposals, and developing account plans. In addition, you are responsible for improving customer experience, communicating with customers and answering their inquiries, and managing and resolving conflicts. As a client manager, you are expected to supervise clients and internal teams, lead the execution of projects, and to work with clients and partner agencies in developing business objectives.
A key account manager is primarily in charge of handling key clients that produce the most profit for a company or business, ensuring that they remain with them. They are mainly responsible for understanding their clients' needs and long-term goals, ensuring that the key clients get to receive all the necessary services and products in time, and promptly address and resolve any issues and concerns. Furthermore, a key account manager may prepare reports and proposals to team members, all while adhering to the company's policies and standards.
Client managers and key account managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Client Manager | Key Account Manager | |
| Average salary | $88,768 | $102,315 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $132,000 | Between $75,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Maine |
| Best paying company | Baker McKenzie | Quidel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a client manager and a key account manager in terms of educational background:
| Client Manager | Key Account Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between client managers' and key account managers' demographics:
| Client Manager | Key Account Manager | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.8% Female, 52.2% | Male, 68.1% Female, 31.9% |
| 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% |