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The differences between mentors and supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a supervisor has an average salary of $53,902, which is higher than the $35,581 average annual salary of a mentor.
The top three skills for a mentor include role model, mathematics and mental health. The most important skills for a supervisor are customer service, safety procedures, and sales floor.
| Mentor | Supervisor | |
| Yearly salary | $35,581 | $53,902 |
| Hourly rate | $17.11 | $25.91 |
| Growth rate | 12% | - |
| Number of jobs | 3,625 | 224,920 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 42 | 46 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
Mentors are individuals who are usually experienced or considered experts in their field. They provide guidance and inspiration to the people they mentor, often called mentees. Mentors give advice whenever their mentees need them, usually on topics related to their career or studies. They may help their mentees with career concerns by helping them map out a career plan, coaching them to prepare them for interviews, and providing insights on the industry or field they are in. Mentors also help train their mentees in their jobs by providing feedback and guiding them so that they may improve.
Supervisors are responsible for overseeing the daily functions of employees in a specific team, department, or even a work shift. They create work schedules, organize work processes and workflows, train new hires, provide necessary reports related to the team function and the employees, monitor and evaluate employee performance, and ensure that goals of the specific team or department are met. When needed, supervisors also provide guidance to employees in terms of their career or even personal challenges. They also help in fostering harmonious work relationships by resolving interpersonal conflicts at work. To be successful in their role, they must have leadership skills, time management skills, decision-making capabilities, analytical skills, and problem-solving skills.
Mentors and supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mentor | Supervisor | |
| Average salary | $35,581 | $53,902 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $62,000 | Between $31,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | Reston, VA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Eli Lilly and Company | Reed Smith |
| Best paying industry | Education | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a mentor and a supervisor in terms of educational background:
| Mentor | Supervisor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between mentors' and supervisors' demographics:
| Mentor | Supervisor | |
| Average age | 42 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.4% Female, 58.6% | Male, 55.8% Female, 44.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 9.6% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 4.6% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 6% |