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The differences between managers, competitive intelligence and category managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 8-10 years to become both a manager, competitive intelligence and a category manager. Additionally, a category manager has an average salary of $102,035, which is higher than the $68,283 average annual salary of a manager, competitive intelligence.
The top three skills for a manager, competitive intelligence include market research, competitive landscape and competitive analysis. The most important skills for a category manager are strategic sourcing, category strategy, and supplier performance.
| Manager, Competitive Intelligence | Category Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $68,283 | $102,035 |
| Hourly rate | $32.83 | $49.06 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 39,560 | 108,424 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 10 |
The competitive intelligence manager is responsible for gathering, analyzing, and distributing intelligence on market conditions, products, customers, and competitors for business decision-making purposes. He/she has innovative skills in developing solutions from complex problems, actionable recommendations and presentations, and in compliance with relevant company regulations. Also, this manager possesses excellent mathematical and analytical skills to efficiently provide an advanced warning of risks and opportunities, including takeovers, mergers, new products and services, and other market factors to become competitive in business.
Category managers are usually employed in the retail industry. They are primarily responsible for the sales enhancement of a specific group of products. The managers are involved in pricing, marketing, inventory, and vendor management. Their daily tasks include meeting with suppliers to talk about the plans, conducting orientation to the market research company, and updating category reports. Qualified applicants must have a degree in business administration or a related field as well as relevant job experience in a related job.
Managers, competitive intelligence and category managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manager, Competitive Intelligence | Category Manager | |
| Average salary | $68,283 | $102,035 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $139,000 | Between $74,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Pepper Hamilton | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | - | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a manager, competitive intelligence and a category manager in terms of educational background:
| Manager, Competitive Intelligence | Category Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between managers, competitive intelligence' and category managers' demographics:
| Manager, Competitive Intelligence | Category Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.6% Female, 35.4% | Male, 55.7% Female, 44.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |