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The differences between department leads and dept 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 a dept manager. Additionally, a dept manager has an average salary of $50,222, 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 a dept manager are customer service, sales floor, and pallet jack.
| Department Lead | Dept Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $42,113 | $50,222 |
| Hourly rate | $20.25 | $24.15 |
| Growth rate | - | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 204,534 | 221,313 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| 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.
A department manager is responsible for monitoring the operations of the assigned department, ensuring the maximum productivity and optimal performance of the staff. Department managers also coordinate with business partners, clients, and customers, as well as identifying business opportunities to drive more revenues and increase profitability. They handle department budgets and maintain the proper allocation of resources to support project management and deliverables. A department manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills, managing the staff's needs, and providing excellent support.
Department leads and dept managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Department Lead | Dept Manager | |
| Average salary | $42,113 | $50,222 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $79,000 | Between $28,000 And $87,000 |
| Highest paying City | New Haven, CT | Bay Shore, NY |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Tufts Medical Center | UPMC |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Retail |
There are a few differences between a department lead and a dept manager in terms of educational background:
| Department Lead | Dept Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| 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 dept managers' demographics:
| Department Lead | Dept Manager | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 54.7% Female, 45.3% | Male, 52.5% Female, 47.5% |
| 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, 9.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 6.7% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |