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Department Supervisor Vs Retail Supervisor

The differences between department supervisors and retail supervisors 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 supervisor and a retail supervisor. Additionally, a department supervisor has an average salary of $47,300, which is higher than the $34,740 average annual salary of a retail supervisor.

The top three skills for a department supervisor include store management, product knowledge and plumbing. The most important skills for a retail supervisor are POS, cash handling, and product knowledge.

Department supervisor vs retail supervisor overview

Department SupervisorRetail Supervisor
Yearly Salary$47,300$34,740
Hourly rate$22.74$16.70
Growth Rate6%6%
Number Of Jobs216,893240,666
Job Satisfaction--
Most Common DegreeBachelor's Degree, 45%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average Age4343
Years Of Experience66

What does a Department Supervisor do?

A department supervisor's role is to oversee and ensure a business operation's efficiency in a particular area. Acting as a leader, it is their responsibility to develop strategies on meeting goals within a timeline and ensure that the workforce is functioning effectively in a harmonious environment. Furthermore, a department supervisor is in charge of setting goals such as budget and results, evaluating employees' performances and activities, training new members of the workforce, handling and resolving issues, and enforcing the company's policies and regulations.

What does a retail supervisor do?

The retail supervisor's main job responsibility is to oversee the work of retail staff in a physical store environment. They check and monitor employee activity, coordinate the receiving and shipping of merchandise, and assist customers in their purchases, ensuring smooth day-to-day overall operation. They work for any type of retail store, whether it is clothing, home goods, or an electronics store. In addition, they typically work in a mixed environment that consists of both an office and a sales floor.

Department supervisor vs retail supervisor salary

Department supervisors and retail supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Department SupervisorRetail Supervisor
Average Salary$47,300$34,740
Salary RangeBetween $33,000 And $66,000Between $27,000 And $43,000
Highest Paying CityLakewood, NJPeabody, MA
Highest Paying StateNew JerseyMassachusetts
Best Paying CompanyClubLive Nation Entertainment
Best Paying IndustryFinanceHospitality

Differences between department supervisor and retail supervisor education

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

Department SupervisorRetail Supervisor
Most Common DegreeBachelor's Degree, 45%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most Common MajorBusinessBusiness
Most Common CollegeSUNY College of Technology at DelhiSUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Department supervisor vs retail supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between department supervisors' and retail supervisors' demographics:

Department SupervisorRetail Supervisor
Average Age4343
Gender RatioMale, 57.9% Female, 42.1%Male, 41.0% Female, 59.0%
Race RatioBlack or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 6.8% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 6.9% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between department supervisor and retail supervisor duties and responsibilities

Department Supervisor Example Responsibilities.

  • Achieve a high degree of customer relations, in-stock, and store appearance.
  • Manage geotechnical aspects of an EIR/EIS for a coastal development in an environmentally sensitive lagoon.
  • Maintain an ISO certify department.
  • Home depot sales associate , 2/2012 to7/1012
  • Obtain good working knowledge of EDI.
  • Assist customers, complete callbacks and diamond counts
  • Show More

Retail Supervisor Example Responsibilities.

  • Assist store leadership in effectively leading, managing and developing store and/or department operations and associates to maximize sales and profitability.
  • Prepare food and ensure cleanliness of work area as well as served as a retail sales associate in the gift shop.
  • Prepare receipts for food using cash registers, computers, calculators, POS systems and other acceptable payment methods.
  • Maintain restaurant cleanliness, and delegate restaurant duties as necessary.
  • Monitor and submit weekly payroll and expense reports with modifications when need.
  • Perform management operations flawlessly and economically schedule employees, while maintaining weekly payroll.
  • Show More

Department supervisor vs retail supervisor skills

Common Department Supervisor Skills
  • Store Management, 21%
  • Product Knowledge, 19%
  • Plumbing, 18%
  • Math, 8%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 6%
  • Store Sales, 6%
Common Retail Supervisor Skills
  • POS, 8%
  • Cash Handling, 8%
  • Product Knowledge, 7%
  • Cleanliness, 6%
  • Sales Floor, 5%
  • Wine, 5%