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Department manager vs division manager

The differences between department managers and division 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 manager and a division manager. Additionally, a division manager has an average salary of $81,755, which is higher than the $67,160 average annual salary of a department manager.

The top three skills for a department manager include inventory management, sales promotions and cleanliness. The most important skills for a division manager are customer service, project management, and safety program.

Department manager vs division manager overview

Department ManagerDivision Manager
Yearly salary$67,160$81,755
Hourly rate$32.29$39.31
Growth rate5%6%
Number of jobs330,327349,279
Job satisfaction4-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 46%Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Average age4344
Years of experience66

What does a department manager do?

Department managers oversee the operations of the department they are assigned to. They manage all aspects of the operation, including finance, sales, quality control, and human resources. They set department goals and the steps the team needs to take to ensure that the goals are met. Department managers are also in charge of training team members so that these team members will be able to work together harmoniously. They should also be able to keep the team's goal in sight and adjust their strategy as needed.

What does a division manager do?

Division managers supervise a section of the company and are responsible for that division's success. General duties include organizing, planning, allocating resources, and managing the daily operations of the sector. Part of their duty is to evaluate the division's performance and develop strategies for performance improvement. They ensure that compliance to policies and procedures is maintained by the team members. Also, they assist in employee recruitment and performance evaluation for promotion, retention, and termination undertakings. Additionally, division managers need to fix issues that hinder achieving division goals and success.

Department manager vs division manager salary

Department managers and division managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Department ManagerDivision Manager
Average salary$67,160$81,755
Salary rangeBetween $39,000 And $115,000Between $51,000 And $130,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYSan Mateo, CA
Highest paying stateNew JerseyCalifornia
Best paying companyRalph LaurenDignity Health
Best paying industryManufacturingFinance

Differences between department manager and division manager education

There are a few differences between a department manager and a division manager in terms of educational background:

Department ManagerDivision Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 46%Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeSUNY College of Technology at DelhiUniversity of Pennsylvania

Department manager vs division manager demographics

Here are the differences between department managers' and division managers' demographics:

Department ManagerDivision Manager
Average age4344
Gender ratioMale, 51.8% Female, 48.2%Male, 77.4% Female, 22.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage9%10%

Differences between department manager and division manager duties and responsibilities

Department manager example responsibilities.

  • Participate in company's ISO certification program, successfully achieving ISO [] and AS9100 certification.
  • Manage and delegate over lumber-building materials department including millwork department.
  • Manage electronics, wireless connection center, layaway and online order/pickup departments.
  • Develop schedules; manage payroll; multitask extensively to ensure competing requirements are complete.
  • Monitor and maximize sales and payroll by identifying sales opportunities and managing controllable expenses.
  • Manage geotechnical aspects of an EIR/EIS for a coastal development in an environmentally sensitive lagoon.
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Division manager example responsibilities.

  • Achieve $2.5 million increase in EBITDA, from - $2.3 million to + $200K.
  • Exceed budget in years two & three and achieve ISO certification in year one.
  • Exceed budget in years 2 & 3 and achieve ISO certification in year 1.
  • Launch the usage of a CRM tool to assist associates in managing book of business.
  • Develop operational plans, implement schedules, coordinate supply logistics and manage the operational plan from inception to completion.
  • Establish productive working relationships with state and federal regulatory agencies, reorganize and improve operation, and achieve OSHA compliance.
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Department manager vs division manager skills

Common department manager skills
  • Inventory Management, 38%
  • Sales Promotions, 17%
  • Cleanliness, 13%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • Sales Floor, 3%
  • Product Knowledge, 2%
Common division manager skills
  • Customer Service, 16%
  • Project Management, 7%
  • Safety Program, 6%
  • Oversight, 6%
  • Human Resources, 5%
  • Financial Statements, 4%