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The differences between department leads and assistant department 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 department lead and an assistant department manager. Additionally, an assistant department manager has an average salary of $43,686, which is higher than the $42,113 average annual salary of a department lead.
The top three skills for a department lead include cleanliness, safety procedures and customer service. The most important skills for an assistant department manager are standard operating procedure, customer service, and work ethic.
| Department Lead | Assistant Department Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $42,113 | $43,686 |
| Hourly rate | $20.25 | $21.00 |
| Growth rate | - | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 204,534 | 199,757 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A department lead's responsibilities will vary in an organization or company. It will, most of the time, revolve around overseeing the progress of work in a particular area and evaluating department staff's performance. Other responsibilities include setting goals and implementing the company's policies and guidelines. They may also carry out administrative tasks such as approving and signing paperwork, producing reports and presentations, and crafting guidelines and strategies to help reach goals. Furthermore, as a department head, it is important to encourage staff and shape them into valuable company members.
An assistant department manager is responsible for supporting the assigned department operations under the supervision of the head department manager. Assistant department managers oversee the performance of the staff, ensuring the highest productivity with quality services. They also assist in budget allocation, coordinating with the senior management for expenses reports, and suggest cost reduction strategies. An assistant department manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills, especially on coordinating with business partners for project deliverables and maximize the staff's potential by arranging department training and programs.
Department leads and assistant department managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Department Lead | Assistant Department Manager | |
| Average salary | $42,113 | $43,686 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $79,000 | Between $26,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | New Haven, CT | - |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | - |
| Best paying company | Tufts Medical Center | - |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between a department lead and an assistant department manager in terms of educational background:
| Department Lead | Assistant Department Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi |
Here are the differences between department leads' and assistant department managers' demographics:
| Department Lead | Assistant Department Manager | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 54.7% Female, 45.3% | Male, 50.4% Female, 49.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 6.9% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |