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The differences between merchandising assistants and department 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 merchandising assistant and a department manager. Additionally, a department manager has an average salary of $67,160, which is higher than the $34,679 average annual salary of a merchandising assistant.
The top three skills for a merchandising assistant include sales floor, customer service and customer issues. The most important skills for a department manager are inventory management, sales promotions, and cleanliness.
| Merchandising Assistant | Department Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $34,679 | $67,160 |
| Hourly rate | $16.67 | $32.29 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 22,645 | 330,327 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A merchandising assistant is responsible for contributing new goods and services for the business, identifying business opportunities based on the market demands to drive revenues and increase profitability. Merchandising assistants also monitor stock inventories, negotiating with suppliers and other third-party vendors for deliveries, and strategizing on how to minimize costs without compromising the quality. They also help with arranging product displays, developing marketing campaigns, and planning promotional offers to attract customers for purchase. A merchandising assistant must have excellent communication skills, responding to the customers' inquiries and concerns, and directing them to the appropriate section for their needs.
Department managers oversee the operations of the department they are assigned to. They manage all aspects of the operation, including finance, sales, quality control, and human resources. They set department goals and the steps the team needs to take to ensure that the goals are met. Department managers are also in charge of training team members so that these team members will be able to work together harmoniously. They should also be able to keep the team's goal in sight and adjust their strategy as needed.
Merchandising assistants and department managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Merchandising Assistant | Department Manager | |
| Average salary | $34,679 | $67,160 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $46,000 | Between $39,000 And $115,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Softpath System | Ralph Lauren |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a merchandising assistant and a department manager in terms of educational background:
| Merchandising Assistant | Department Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi |
Here are the differences between merchandising assistants' and department managers' demographics:
| Merchandising Assistant | Department Manager | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 23.2% Female, 76.8% | Male, 51.8% Female, 48.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |