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The differences between contracts administrators and contracts 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 contracts administrator and a contracts manager. Additionally, a contracts manager has an average salary of $72,691, which is higher than the $52,876 average annual salary of a contracts administrator.
The top three skills for a contracts administrator include contract administration, customer service and contract management. The most important skills for a contracts manager are contract management, contract administration, and contract terms.
| Contracts Administrator | Contracts Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $52,876 | $72,691 |
| Hourly rate | $25.42 | $34.95 |
| Growth rate | -6% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 58,038 | 13,218 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 48 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Contract administrators create and manage legal contracts from which the company participates. They ensure that all entities to the contract will accomplish their obligations, as indicated in the contract. They usually work for larger organizations that might be involved with different or highly complex contracts. These organizations spread across a range of industries, including government, construction, and healthcare. Their responsibilities include addressing any conflicts of questions regarding the contract, analyzing the possible risks posed by contracts, and working alongside the legal and procurement teams.
A contract manager is responsible for finalizing contract agreements between the company and its clients, revising documents, creating procurement proposals, and managing breach of contracts immediately. Contract managers respond to clients' inquiries and concerns about the contract's terms, conditions, and adjustment requests. They should be highly knowledgeable with legal terms and legislation regulations, ensuring that documents align with their objectives. The contract manager should also stay updated with the latest trends to meet contract demands, identify more business opportunities to boost revenues, and achieve profitability goals.
Contracts administrators and contracts managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Contracts Administrator | Contracts Manager | |
| Average salary | $52,876 | $72,691 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $78,000 | Between $45,000 And $116,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | California |
| Best paying company | Ngam Advisors, L.P. | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a contracts administrator and a contracts manager in terms of educational background:
| Contracts Administrator | Contracts Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between contracts administrators' and contracts managers' demographics:
| Contracts Administrator | Contracts Manager | |
| Average age | 48 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.2% Female, 67.8% | Male, 54.0% Female, 46.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 7.7% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 7.4% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 11% |