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The differences between key account managers and commercial account managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a key account manager and a commercial account manager. Additionally, a key account manager has an average salary of $102,315, which is higher than the $59,175 average annual salary of a commercial account manager.
The top three skills for a key account manager include account management, customer service and patients. The most important skills for a commercial account manager are customer service, CRM, and account management.
| Key Account Manager | Commercial Account Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $102,315 | $59,175 |
| Hourly rate | $49.19 | $28.45 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 160,992 | 166,435 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 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.
A commercial account manager's role is to offer products and services to businesses and firms, building positive relationships to establish a strong client base. Their responsibilities often revolve around performing research and market analysis to find sales opportunities, devising strategies to identify client needs, and maintaining records of all data and transactions. They may also reach out to potential clients through calls and correspondence, even arrange appointments to discuss products and negotiate sales. Furthermore, as a commercial account manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
Key account managers and commercial account managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Key Account Manager | Commercial Account Manager | |
| Average salary | $102,315 | $59,175 |
| Salary range | Between $75,000 And $138,000 | Between $41,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maine | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Quidel | VMware |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a key account manager and a commercial account manager in terms of educational background:
| Key Account Manager | Commercial Account Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between key account managers' and commercial account managers' demographics:
| Key Account Manager | Commercial Account Manager | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.1% Female, 31.9% | Male, 60.1% Female, 39.9% |
| 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, 3.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.1% White, 78.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |