Department manager vs office manager/administrative assistant

The differences between department managers and office managers/administrative assistant can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a department manager, becoming an office manager/administrative assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a department manager has an average salary of $67,160, which is higher than the $39,071 average annual salary of an office manager/administrative assistant.

The top three skills for a department manager include inventory management, sales promotions and cleanliness. The most important skills for an office manager/administrative assistant are customer service, data entry, and financial statements.

Department manager vs office manager/administrative assistant overview

	Department Manager	Office Manager/Administrative Assistant
Yearly salary	$67,160	$39,071
Hourly rate	$32.29	$18.78
Growth rate	5%	-8%
Number of jobs	330,327	74,168
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Average age	43	50
Years of experience	6	2

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 an office manager/administrative assistant do?

An office manager, also known as an administrative ssistant, is responsible for overseeing the workflow in an office or department. An office manager's duties mostly revolve around performing clerical tasks, such as organizing and maintaining accurate schedules and documentation, obtaining office supplies and equipment, arranging meetings and appointments, preparing reports and evaluations, and handling calls and other forms of correspondence. Furthermore, an office manager serves as the contact person for different departments. Therefore it is crucial to maintain an active line of communication and coordination at all times.

Department manager vs office manager/administrative assistant salary

Department managers and office managers/administrative assistant have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Department Manager	Office Manager/Administrative Assistant
Average salary	$67,160	$39,071
Salary range	Between $39,000 And $115,000	Between $27,000 And $55,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Oregon
Best paying company	Ralph Lauren	Revance Therapeutics
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Professional

Differences between department manager and office manager/administrative assistant education

There are a few differences between a department manager and an office manager/administrative assistant in terms of educational background:

	Department Manager	Office Manager/Administrative Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi	Western Carolina University

Department manager vs office manager/administrative assistant demographics

Here are the differences between department managers' and office managers/administrative assistant' demographics:

	Department Manager	Office Manager/Administrative Assistant
Average age	43	50
Gender ratio	Male, 51.8% Female, 48.2%	Male, 8.6% Female, 91.4%
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, 9.1% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	9%	6%

Differences between department manager and office manager/administrative assistant 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.

Office manager/administrative assistant example responsibilities.

Manage detailed administrative records using POS retail software.
Scan and file all documents into EMR and paper chart.
Coordinate yearly CPR training with local fire department for post office employees.
Scan all labs retrieve from various insurance portals, and medical records into the EMR.
Compile payroll information within deadlines.
Compile expense reporting and payroll for manufacturing facility staff.

Department manager vs office manager/administrative assistant skills

Common department manager skills

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

Common office manager/administrative assistant skills

Customer Service, 16%
Data Entry, 10%
Financial Statements, 5%
Travel Arrangements, 5%
Purchase Orders, 5%
Office Equipment, 5%

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Department Manager vs Office Manager/Administrative Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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