Post job

Marketing manager/project manager vs sales manager

The differences between marketing manager/project managers and sales managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 8-10 years to become a marketing manager/project manager, becoming a sales manager takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a marketing manager/project manager has an average salary of $78,368, which is higher than the $73,952 average annual salary of a sales manager.

The top three skills for a marketing manager/project manager include project management, digital marketing and marketing campaigns. The most important skills for a sales manager are product knowledge, customer satisfaction, and sales performance.

Marketing manager/project manager vs sales manager overview

Marketing Manager/Project ManagerSales Manager
Yearly salary$78,368$73,952
Hourly rate$37.68$35.55
Growth rate10%5%
Number of jobs187,949119,066
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 77%Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age3946
Years of experience108

What does a marketing manager/project manager do?

A marketing manager/project manager oversees a company's marketing programs and projects, aiming to attract more customers and increase the brand value of a business, product, or service. They primarily perform market research and assessments to identify marketing trends and opportunities, gather and analyze data to generate business leads, study the consumer and competitors in the industry, and identify the weaknesses and strengths of existing marketing projects, utilizing information to enhance operations. Additionally, a marketing manager/project manager leads operations and empowers staff while implementing company policies and industry standards.

What does a sales manager do?

Sales managers are responsible for leading the organization's sales team. They oversee the progress and performance of the whole team, set area assignments to team members, and set weekly or monthly quotas. Sales managers oversee training team members during onboarding and providing further coaching to help them achieve their goals. They manage the challenges that team members may meet and help mitigate any problems that come along the way. Sales managers also set the strategic direction of the sales team and follow through by ensuring that the team's activities are in line with the goals.

Marketing manager/project manager vs sales manager salary

Marketing manager/project managers and sales managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Marketing Manager/Project ManagerSales Manager
Average salary$78,368$73,952
Salary rangeBetween $56,000 And $109,000Between $42,000 And $129,000
Highest paying CityCarson City, NVJersey City, NJ
Highest paying stateNevadaNew Jersey
Best paying companyMetaCapgemini
Best paying industryTechnology-

Differences between marketing manager/project manager and sales manager education

There are a few differences between a marketing manager/project manager and a sales manager in terms of educational background:

Marketing Manager/Project ManagerSales Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 77%Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of GeorgiaUniversity of Southern California

Marketing manager/project manager vs sales manager demographics

Here are the differences between marketing manager/project managers' and sales managers' demographics:

Marketing Manager/Project ManagerSales Manager
Average age3946
Gender ratioMale, 38.1% Female, 61.9%Male, 68.7% Female, 31.3%
Race ratioBlack 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, 3.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.1% White, 78.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage10%7%

Differences between marketing manager/project manager and sales manager duties and responsibilities

Marketing manager/project manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage client's $120K SEM budget; make allocations toward competitor analysis, keyword research and linking strategies.
  • Manage SEO and SEM programs including optimization of landing pages and A/B campaign testing with PPC and social media ads.
  • Define and program manage nurture campaigns utilizing CRM database.
  • Manage sensitive digital and print archives of value historic and current photography.
  • Plan and manage communication projects including writing newsletters, brochures, annual reports and producing videos and PowerPoint presentations.
  • Assist in developing websites by writing HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript code.
  • Show more

Sales manager example responsibilities.

  • Achieve proficiency in multitasking by performing multiple duties and managing differing responsibilities periodically.
  • Manage discount contracts, write up of add-ons, renewals, transfers of equities.
  • Manage and support one of the largest portfolios within the division and the largest in the Americas.
  • Manage website, updating product listings, enhancing SEO positioning, and maintaining overall site appearance and functionality.
  • Launch and manage the Americas outsourcing lead generation and qualification process.
  • Set all promotional activity, introduce new items and manage distributors in select markets.
  • Show more

Marketing manager/project manager vs sales manager skills

Common marketing manager/project manager skills
  • Project Management, 17%
  • Digital Marketing, 12%
  • Marketing Campaigns, 7%
  • PowerPoint, 5%
  • Email Campaigns, 3%
  • Email Marketing, 3%
Common sales manager skills
  • Product Knowledge, 12%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 7%
  • Sales Performance, 6%
  • CRM, 5%
  • Sales Process, 4%
  • Work Ethic, 4%

Browse executive management jobs