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The differences between functional managers and section managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a functional manager, becoming a section manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a functional manager has an average salary of $113,849, which is higher than the $95,857 average annual salary of a section manager.
The top three skills for a functional manager include professional development, customer service and ERP. The most important skills for a section manager are career development, project management, and DOD.
| Functional Manager | Section Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $113,849 | $95,857 |
| Hourly rate | $54.74 | $46.09 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 48,500 | 293,821 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 47 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 6 |
A functional manager handles resources in a certain department like IT, engineering, PR, or marketing. Generally, they direct the technical work of employees from that functional part who are working on the project. They share responsibility with the project manager for directing the work of employees. They assign specific employees to the team and discuss with the project manager regarding resources to improved staff utilization. In addition, they also participate in the initial planning until activities are assigned and recommend possible changes to the project, including corrective actions.
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.
Functional managers and section managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Functional Manager | Section Manager | |
| Average salary | $113,849 | $95,857 |
| Salary range | Between $88,000 And $146,000 | Between $63,000 And $145,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Apple | NVIDIA |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a functional manager and a section manager in terms of educational background:
| Functional Manager | Section Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between functional managers' and section managers' demographics:
| Functional Manager | Section Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.2% Female, 32.8% | Male, 74.1% Female, 25.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 10.0% Asian, 12.7% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 11% | 10% |