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The differences between key account managers and national accounts sales 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 national accounts sales manager. Additionally, a key account manager has an average salary of $102,315, which is higher than the $91,882 average annual salary of a national accounts sales manager.
The top three skills for a key account manager include account management, customer service and patients. The most important skills for a national accounts sales manager are national accounts, healthcare, and account management.
| Key Account Manager | National Accounts Sales Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $102,315 | $91,882 |
| Hourly rate | $49.19 | $44.17 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 160,992 | 116,777 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| 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 national accounts sales manager is responsible for maintaining healthy business relationships with clients by managing and monitoring the performance of their accounts. National accounts sales managers establish reasonable sales targets and develop techniques that would maximize sales staff productivity and efficiency. They conduct data and statistical analysis with the current market trends to identify business opportunities that would generate more revenue resources and increase profitability. A national accounts sales manager negotiates contracts and agreements with clients and ensures their brand consistency in the market.
Key account managers and national accounts sales managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Key Account Manager | National Accounts Sales Manager | |
| Average salary | $102,315 | $91,882 |
| Salary range | Between $75,000 And $138,000 | Between $64,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maine | California |
| Best paying company | Quidel | Daltile |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Education |
There are a few differences between a key account manager and a national accounts sales manager in terms of educational background:
| Key Account Manager | National Accounts Sales Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| 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 national accounts sales managers' demographics:
| Key Account Manager | National Accounts Sales Manager | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.1% Female, 31.9% | Male, 73.7% Female, 26.3% |
| 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% |