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The differences between department leads and lead associates 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 lead associate. Additionally, a lead associate has an average salary of $54,903, 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 lead associate are PET, leadership, and POS.
| Department Lead | Lead Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $42,113 | $54,903 |
| Hourly rate | $20.25 | $26.40 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 204,534 | 188,353 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| 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.
The duties of a lead associate depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. In a retail setting, their responsibilities revolve around performing research and analysis to identify new business opportunities, devising strategies to optimize sales, and reaching out to clients through calls and correspondence. A lead associate may offer products and services to potential clients, answer inquiries, conduct demonstrations, process payments, arrange billing plans, and perform follow-up calls. Furthermore, they may also handle issues and concerns, resolving them in adherence to the company's policies and regulations.
Department leads and lead associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Department Lead | Lead Associate | |
| Average salary | $42,113 | $54,903 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $79,000 | Between $25,000 And $117,000 |
| Highest paying City | New Haven, CT | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Tufts Medical Center | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between a department lead and a lead associate in terms of educational background:
| Department Lead | Lead Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| 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 lead associates' demographics:
| Department Lead | Lead Associate | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 54.7% Female, 45.3% | Male, 44.8% Female, 55.2% |
| 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, 8.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 6.9% White, 61.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |