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The differences between key account managers and strategic accounts 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 strategic accounts manager. Additionally, a key account manager has an average salary of $102,315, which is higher than the $83,574 average annual salary of a strategic accounts manager.
The top three skills for a key account manager include account management, customer service and patients. The most important skills for a strategic accounts manager are account management, healthcare, and customer service.
| Key Account Manager | Strategic Accounts Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $102,315 | $83,574 |
| Hourly rate | $49.19 | $40.18 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 160,992 | 141,224 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| 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 strategic accounts manager is an individual who is responsible for establishing and maintaining productive relationships with new and existing large clients. Strategic accounts managers assign staff members to provide help and support with client accounts and how they can be of service to the clients. They are required to create an appropriate sales strategy for each of their clients and identify needs. Strategic accounts manager must also create comprehensive reports on client sales and strategy to their upper management.
Key account managers and strategic accounts managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Key Account Manager | Strategic Accounts Manager | |
| Average salary | $102,315 | $83,574 |
| Salary range | Between $75,000 And $138,000 | Between $51,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maine | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Quidel | VMware |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Technology |
There are a few differences between a key account manager and a strategic accounts manager in terms of educational background:
| Key Account Manager | Strategic Accounts Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| 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 strategic accounts managers' demographics:
| Key Account Manager | Strategic Accounts Manager | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.1% Female, 31.9% | Male, 68.2% Female, 31.8% |
| 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, 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% |