Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between dept 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 dept manager, becoming an office manager/administrative assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a dept manager has an average salary of $50,222, which is higher than the $39,071 average annual salary of an office manager/administrative assistant.
The top three skills for a dept manager include customer service, sales floor and pallet jack. The most important skills for an office manager/administrative assistant are customer service, data entry, and financial statements.
| Dept Manager | Office Manager/Administrative Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $50,222 | $39,071 |
| Hourly rate | $24.15 | $18.78 |
| Growth rate | 6% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 221,313 | 74,168 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 43 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
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 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.
Dept managers and office managers/administrative assistant have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Dept Manager | Office Manager/Administrative Assistant | |
| Average salary | $50,222 | $39,071 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $87,000 | Between $27,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bay Shore, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Oregon |
| Best paying company | UPMC | Revance Therapeutics |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Professional |
There are a few differences between a dept manager and an office manager/administrative assistant in terms of educational background:
| Dept Manager | Office Manager/Administrative Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between dept managers' and office managers/administrative assistant' demographics:
| Dept Manager | Office Manager/Administrative Assistant | |
| Average age | 43 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.5% Female, 47.5% | Male, 8.6% Female, 91.4% |
| 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, 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% |