Line manager vs operations manager

The differences between line managers and operations 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 line manager and an operations manager. Additionally, an operations manager has an average salary of $76,894, which is higher than the $56,406 average annual salary of a line manager.

The top three skills for a line manager include client facing, continuous improvement and service line. The most important skills for an operations manager are customer service, logistics, and continuous improvement.

Line manager vs operations manager overview

	Line Manager	Operations Manager
Yearly salary	$56,406	$76,894
Hourly rate	$27.12	$36.97
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	369,491	343,868
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	6	6

What does a line manager do?

As line managers, they oversee other employees and the business operations while reporting to a higher manager. They play a significant role in the operation of the business from supervising and managing workers daily and acting as a link to upper management and employees. It is part of their responsibility to recruit and hire talent to fill team positions, provide training and learning to new hires, and ensuring that the employees are doing their jobs effectively and efficiently.

What does an operations manager do?

Operations managers are in charge of running the main business of the organization. They ensure that the business is running smoothly from an operations standpoint. They make sure that the processes in place produce the necessary output by implementing quality control measures. They also manage finances and ensure that there is enough budget to keep the operations of the business running. They also ensure that the production of goods or services is cost-efficient. Operations managers also handle people-related concerns. They are responsible for interviewing candidates, choosing the ones to hire, and ensuring that individuals assigned to operations are properly trained.

Line manager vs operations manager salary

Line managers and operations managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Line Manager	Operations Manager
Average salary	$56,406	$76,894
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $116,000	Between $47,000 And $123,000
Highest paying City	New Brunswick, NJ	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Delaware
Best paying company	Microsoft	McKinsey & Company Inc
Best paying industry	-	Technology

Differences between line manager and operations manager education

There are a few differences between a line manager and an operations manager in terms of educational background:

	Line Manager	Operations Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Line manager vs operations manager demographics

Here are the differences between line managers' and operations managers' demographics:

	Line Manager	Operations Manager
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 64.7% Female, 35.3%	Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 6.3% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between line manager and operations manager duties and responsibilities

Line manager example responsibilities.

Lead the team in successfully meeting FDA and GMP requirements.
Manage project developing integration and process flows for fab expansion doubling the area and moving to a larger wafer.
Manage team of database administrators, database technicians and systems administrators responsible for maintaining all production, development and QA systems.
Define and enforce GMP's to subordinates.
Train in FDA standards for food industry.
Establish and measure KPI's ensuring all departments maintain the highest levels of performance.

Operations manager example responsibilities.

Manage and lead operations that include performance management, organizational development, employment compliance, employee relations, payroll management.
Manage 2HVAC system retrofit replacement teams.
Manage all invoices, A/P, A/R and other accounting duties.
Manage computer operation teams supporting propriety and DoD programs at the Lewisville site.
Manage 45 person division and day to day operations of scheduling, communications, A/R, A/P and customer care.
Manage the export booking and documentation department ensuring smooth on-time delivery.

Line manager vs operations manager skills

Common line manager skills

Client Facing, 11%
Continuous Improvement, 7%
Service Line, 6%
Customer Satisfaction, 6%
Direct Reports, 5%
Process Improvement, 4%

Common operations manager skills

Customer Service, 23%
Logistics, 7%
Continuous Improvement, 6%
Payroll, 5%
Project Management, 4%
Process Improvement, 4%

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Line Manager
Line Manager vs Operations Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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