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The differences between continuous improvement managers and unit managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a continuous improvement manager and a unit manager. Additionally, a continuous improvement manager has an average salary of $99,644, which is higher than the $60,561 average annual salary of a unit manager.
The top three skills for a continuous improvement manager include lean six sigma, sigma and continuous improvement. The most important skills for a unit manager are quality care, patients, and federal regulations.
| Continuous Improvement Manager | Unit Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $99,644 | $60,561 |
| Hourly rate | $47.91 | $29.12 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 154,463 | 366,932 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Continuous Improvement Manager initiates and facilitates lean improvement programs and activities. They ensure that progress is maintained on an ongoing basis.
Unit managers are responsible for managing the nursing unit. They primarily supervise the daily care of patients and ensure quality patient care. Usually, they perform tasks like evaluating staff performance, conducting orientation for new staff, and training new members. Also, they manage schedules, minimize expenditures, and enforce health as well as safety regulations. Unit managers are registered nursing professionals with an undergraduate or graduate degree. They are honest, adaptable, and analytical professionals with strong management and leadership skills and relevant experience in nursing and patient assessment.
Continuous improvement managers and unit managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Continuous Improvement Manager | Unit Manager | |
| Average salary | $99,644 | $60,561 |
| Salary range | Between $74,000 And $133,000 | Between $38,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a continuous improvement manager and a unit manager in terms of educational background:
| Continuous Improvement Manager | Unit Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Business | Nursing |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between continuous improvement managers' and unit managers' demographics:
| Continuous Improvement Manager | Unit Manager | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% | Male, 42.4% Female, 57.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 6.3% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |