Department manager vs manager

The differences between department managers and 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 manager. Additionally, a department manager has an average salary of $67,160, which is higher than the $58,651 average annual salary of a manager.

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

Department manager vs manager overview

	Department Manager	Manager
Yearly salary	$67,160	$58,651
Hourly rate	$32.29	$28.20
Growth rate	5%	6%
Number of jobs	330,327	1,236,194
Job satisfaction	4	4.57
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age	43	44
Years of experience	6	6

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 manager do?

Managers are responsible for a specific department, function, or employee group. They oversee their assigned departments and all the employees under the department. Managers are responsible that the department they are handling is functioning well. They set the department goals and the steps they must take to achieve the goals. They are also in charge of assessing the performance of their departments and their employees. Additionally, managers are responsible for interviewing prospective candidates for department vacancies and assessing their fit to the needs of the department. Managers also set the general working environment in the department, and they are expected to ensure that their employees remain motivated.

Department manager vs manager salary

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

	Department Manager	Manager
Average salary	$67,160	$58,651
Salary range	Between $39,000 And $115,000	Between $37,000 And $92,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	-
Highest paying state	New Jersey	New Jersey
Best paying company	Ralph Lauren	-
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Finance

Differences between department manager and manager education

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

	Department Manager	Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi	University of Pennsylvania

Department manager vs manager demographics

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

	Department Manager	Manager
Average age	43	44
Gender ratio	Male, 51.8% Female, 48.2%	Male, 51.0% Female, 49.0%
Race ratio	Black 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, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	9%	10%

Differences between department manager and 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.

Manager example responsibilities.

Manage both BOH and FOH operations exceeding company specifications.
Manage logistics and security for high net worth individuals and corporations.
Manage budgets and payroll records, review financial transactions to assure expenditures are authorize and budget.
Guide and manage the administrative day-to-day academic program and the implementation of strategies by providing leadership to faculty and staff.
Provide leadership and direction to facility management and program owners while motivating and interacting with employees to achieve continuous improvement.
Customer-Orient with experience with POS systems, food preparation and safety regulations.

Department manager vs manager skills

Common department manager skills

Inventory Management, 38%
Sales Promotions, 17%
Cleanliness, 13%
Customer Service, 8%
Sales Floor, 3%
Product Knowledge, 2%

Common manager skills

Customer Service, 19%
Payroll, 9%
Food Safety, 8%
Financial Statements, 4%
Management, 4%
PowerPoint, 4%

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Department Manager
Department Manager vs Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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