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The differences between key account managers and account executives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a key account manager has an average salary of $102,315, which is higher than the $69,618 average annual salary of an account executive.
The top three skills for a key account manager include account management, customer service and patients. The most important skills for an account executive are customer service, CRM, and healthcare.
| Key Account Manager | Account Executive | |
| Yearly salary | $102,315 | $69,618 |
| Hourly rate | $49.19 | $33.47 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 160,992 | 205,561 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 8 | - |
A key account manager is primarily in charge of handling key clients that produce the most profit for a company or business, ensuring that they remain with them. They are mainly responsible for understanding their clients' needs and long-term goals, ensuring that the key clients get to receive all the necessary services and products in time, and promptly address and resolve any issues and concerns. Furthermore, a key account manager may prepare reports and proposals to team members, all while adhering to the company's policies and standards.
An account executive is responsible for supporting existing clients, closing client deals, and developing sales strategies to increase the company's sales and satisfaction. An account executive must be competitive enough to keep up with the constant changes in the sales industry, including the high demands of digital marketing, a different approach to product advertising, effective negotiation, and presentation skills. An account executive also requires excellent communication skills for the successful acquisition of client accounts and immediately resolve possible complaints as they arise.
Key account managers and account executives have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Key Account Manager | Account Executive | |
| Average salary | $102,315 | $69,618 |
| Salary range | Between $75,000 And $138,000 | Between $44,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Portland, OR |
| Highest paying state | Maine | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Quidel | Hitachi Vantara |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Finance |
There are a few differences between a key account manager and an account executive in terms of educational background:
| Key Account Manager | Account Executive | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between key account managers' and account executives' demographics:
| Key Account Manager | Account Executive | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.1% Female, 31.9% | Male, 57.2% Female, 42.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.1% White, 78.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 5.6% White, 66.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 5% |