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The differences between dept managers and assistant managers retail can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a dept manager and an assistant manager retail. Additionally, a dept manager has an average salary of $50,222, which is higher than the $32,861 average annual salary of an assistant manager retail.
The top three skills for a dept manager include customer service, sales floor and pallet jack. The most important skills for an assistant manager retail are customer service, retail management, and retail store.
| Dept Manager | Assistant Manager Retail | |
| Yearly salary | $50,222 | $32,861 |
| Hourly rate | $24.15 | $15.80 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 221,313 | 356,646 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A department manager is responsible for monitoring the operations of the assigned department, ensuring the maximum productivity and optimal performance of the staff. Department managers also coordinate with business partners, clients, and customers, as well as identifying business opportunities to drive more revenues and increase profitability. They handle department budgets and maintain the proper allocation of resources to support project management and deliverables. A department manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills, managing the staff's needs, and providing excellent support.
An assistant retail manager is responsible for monitoring daily store operations, managing and delegating staff's tasks, and ensuring the cleanliness and orderliness of the store's facilities. Assistant retail managers supervise the adequacy of the store's inventory, create purchase requests, and inspect store displays. They also assist customers with their inquiries and concerns, resolve complaints, and process item replacements and refunds as needed. An assistant retail manager must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in maintaining the overall store performance to reach sales goals and objectives.
Dept managers and assistant managers retail have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Dept Manager | Assistant Manager Retail | |
| Average salary | $50,222 | $32,861 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $87,000 | Between $26,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bay Shore, NY | Knoxville, TN |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | UPMC | Whitney Museum of American Art |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a dept manager and an assistant manager retail in terms of educational background:
| Dept Manager | Assistant Manager Retail | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi |
Here are the differences between dept managers' and assistant managers retail' demographics:
| Dept Manager | Assistant Manager Retail | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.5% Female, 47.5% | Male, 39.0% Female, 61.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 6.7% White, 61.5% 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, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |