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The differences between front end associates and front end leads can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a front end lead has an average salary of $44,664, which is higher than the $31,705 average annual salary of a front end associate.
The top three skills for a front end associate include customer service, front end and kids. The most important skills for a front end lead are customer service, math, and checkout.
| Front End Associate | Front End Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $31,705 | $44,664 |
| Hourly rate | $15.24 | $21.47 |
| Growth rate | -10% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 387,547 | 63,286 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Average age | 34 | 47 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
A front end associate is responsible for processing payment transactions and handling the cash register for the customers. Front end associates inspect the quality of the items, including the labeling, and call for a replacement for any defects immediately. They also respond to the customers' inquiries and concerns, escalate high-level complaints, and issue refunds as necessary. A front end associate verifies the sales reports within the cash register and resolves balance discrepancies before submitting to the attending supervisor.
Front end leads are skilled professionals who work at retail stores to provide assistance in proper store operation as well as leadership to assigned personnel. These leads must ensure that the functions of the store's sales floor are running smoothly and effectively while providing excellent and efficient customer service. They are required to help train and develop store employees to perform a variety of production and retail duties. Front end leads must also maintain the store area by cleaning glass cases, straightening the cash register area, and stocking the area with supplies.
Front end associates and front end leads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Front End Associate | Front End Lead | |
| Average salary | $31,705 | $44,664 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $39,000 | Between $15,000 And $132,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | - | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | - | Goldman Sachs |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a front end associate and a front end lead in terms of educational background:
| Front End Associate | Front End Lead | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between front end associates' and front end leads' demographics:
| Front End Associate | Front End Lead | |
| Average age | 34 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.9% Female, 51.1% | Male, 31.7% Female, 68.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 7.5% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 5.9% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 8% |