Department manager vs section manager

The differences between department managers and section 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 section manager. Additionally, a section manager has an average salary of $95,857, 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 section manager are career development, project management, and DOD.

Department manager vs section manager overview

	Department Manager	Section Manager
Yearly salary	$67,160	$95,857
Hourly rate	$32.29	$46.09
Growth rate	5%	6%
Number of jobs	330,327	293,821
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
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 section manager do?

A section manager is responsible for supervising the overall production processes and operations of an organization. Section managers ensure that their designated sections run accurately and efficiently while following the highest standard protocols and internal regulations. They also identify opportunities to maximize the staff's productivity and perform quality control procedures that would enhance the current processes and fix any inconsistencies. A section manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills to assist the staff and the business in achieving customer satisfaction.

Department manager vs section manager salary

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

	Department Manager	Section Manager
Average salary	$67,160	$95,857
Salary range	Between $39,000 And $115,000	Between $63,000 And $145,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	Santa Rosa, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Rhode Island
Best paying company	Ralph Lauren	NVIDIA
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Technology

Differences between department manager and section manager education

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

	Department Manager	Section Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi	University of Pennsylvania

Department manager vs section manager demographics

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

	Department Manager	Section Manager
Average age	43	44
Gender ratio	Male, 51.8% Female, 48.2%	Male, 74.1% Female, 25.9%
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, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	9%	10%

Differences between department manager and section 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.

Section manager example responsibilities.

Implement ISO quality procedures and lead internal audits
Coordinate and manage the security operations of combat convoys moving and transporting equipment to different locations across hostile areas.
Manage payroll distribution process ensuring timeliness, accuracy, and confidentiality to protect client's privacy and prevent liability of exposure.
Perform contract negotiations, vendor selection, product introduction, ISO quality adherence, cost reductions, and inventory balancing.
Perform ongoing research and analysis of internal business requirements and project logistics.
Plan and request signal logistics support for battalion level operations and maintenance.

Department manager vs section manager skills

Common department manager skills

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

Common section manager skills

Career Development, 9%
Project Management, 9%
DOD, 6%
Performance Reviews, 6%
Continuous Improvement, 5%
RF, 4%

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Department Manager
Department Manager vs Section Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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