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Head coach vs general manager

The differences between head coaches and general managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a head coach and a general manager. Additionally, a general manager has an average salary of $71,581, which is higher than the $44,062 average annual salary of a head coach.

The top three skills for a head coach include CPR, NCAA and athletic program. The most important skills for a general manager are customer service, cleanliness, and food safety.

Head coach vs general manager overview

Head CoachGeneral Manager
Yearly salary$44,062$71,581
Hourly rate$21.18$34.41
Growth rate20%6%
Number of jobs22,027442,690
Job satisfaction34.25
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 73%Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age3644
Years of experience66

What does a head coach do?

A head coach is responsible for managing teams, monitoring each player's performance, conditioning the team's skills by conducting training sessions, and encouraging the trainees to reach their full potential. Head coaches assess the team's coordination during training or a game, adjusting strategies and improving techniques as needed. A head coach evaluates the team's strengths and weaknesses while educating them on the proper sports ethic. A head coach must have strong leadership and organizational skills to develop plans and reach set goals.

What does a general manager do?

A general manager is responsible for handling the overall operations in the business. General managers manage the staff tasks efficiently, monitor the productivity and efficiency of the work environment, implement new strategies to improve the business performance, recognize the team's best efforts, and effective allocation of budget resources. A general manager must have excellent communication, decision-making, and critical-thinking skills to identify areas of improvement in handling customer complaints, connecting with vendors and other lines of businesses that will direct the company towards its successful objectives.

Head coach vs general manager salary

Head coaches and general managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Head CoachGeneral Manager
Average salary$44,062$71,581
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $63,000Between $40,000 And $126,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateNew YorkHawaii
Best paying companyKern Community College DistrictNVIDIA
Best paying industryEducationManufacturing

Differences between head coach and general manager education

There are a few differences between a head coach and a general manager in terms of educational background:

Head CoachGeneral Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 73%Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common majorKinesiologyBusiness
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityUniversity of Pennsylvania

Head coach vs general manager demographics

Here are the differences between head coaches' and general managers' demographics:

Head CoachGeneral Manager
Average age3644
Gender ratioMale, 66.3% Female, 33.7%Male, 70.7% Female, 29.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Asian, 5.5% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage8%10%

Differences between head coach and general manager duties and responsibilities

Head coach example responsibilities.

  • Coach and lead a group of 50 kids between 10 and 12 years old.
  • Manage JV squad during practice and games, preparing them to move to the varsity level.
  • Lead a professional hockey player camp during the summer consisting of NHL, AHL, NCAA hockey players.
  • Teach young student-athletes to relentlessly pursue their goals and achieve academic success while establishing an exemplary foundation of leadership.
  • Serve in a primary leadership role to manage training academy program logistics and to coordinate team participation in national tournaments.
  • Certify in CPR to ensure the safety of athletes.
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General manager example responsibilities.

  • Generate positive EBITDA and improve cash flow by managing costs and inventory.
  • Manage all recruiting and training efforts, and develop systems to track ROI comparison results.
  • Work as a FOH AGM and train to manage all staff functions including training, hiring, food and labor controls.
  • Develop yearly budget for multiple hotels that include revenue, labor, fix and variable costs to achieve overall EBITDA goal.
  • Task primarily with building logistics infrastructure, managing operational expenses, and supporting start up strategies.
  • Train and manage FOH staff and improve overall quality, organization and professionalism of restaurant and bakery.
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Head coach vs general manager skills

Common head coach skills
  • CPR, 31%
  • NCAA, 7%
  • Athletic Program, 5%
  • Player Development, 4%
  • Softball, 4%
  • Leadership, 4%
Common general manager skills
  • Customer Service, 20%
  • Cleanliness, 18%
  • Food Safety, 7%
  • Guest Service, 4%
  • Payroll, 4%
  • Math, 4%

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