How much do accounts managers make?

A strategic accounts manager makes an average of around $97,000 per year, or about $51 an hour. The range for these positions was $87,000 on the low end to $120,000 on the high end, with many of the top earners pulling in around $105,000 a year.

Is account manager a stressful job?

Yes, being an account manager is a stressful job. In fact, being an account manager was ranked as the second most stressful job, with 73 percent of respondents rating the role as "highly stressful."

What education is required to become an account manager?

A bachelor's degree in a relevant field is typically required of those seeking employment as an account manager. It is possible to work as an account manager with varying levels of education, but few account managers are hired with less than a bachelor's degree.

What is the difference between a key account manager and a national account manager?

A key account manager and a national account manager share many skills, but their roles differ in the clients they handle. Key account managers are responsible for an agency's most important accounts.

What is a national account manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted expert

Kaustav Misra Ph.D.

A national account manager is a person who manages the sales and relationships with a company's largest customers or clients. They are responsible for developing and executing sales strategies, negotiating contracts, and ensuring customer satisfaction. National account managers work closely with other departments within a company, including marketing, product development, and customer service, to ensure that the needs of their customers are met. The role requires strong communication skills, strategic thinking, and the strong multitasking abilities.

What general advice would you give to a national account manager?

Kaustav Misra Ph.D.

Associate Dean, Central Connecticut State University

I have spent almost two decades in the higher education industry and about a decade in administration. I often advised students, and it is astonishing to see how many of these students do not plan for their future. A good plan is a starting point to lead a good and successful career and life. Hence, by all means, it is worth noting that developing a future-oriented focus is important, so taking time to streamline the plan should be an important exercise for every graduate before they begin to do anything.

ScoreNational Account ManagerUS Average

Salary

7.5

Avg. Salary $96,948

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.4

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.24%

Asian 4.07%

Black or African American 3.24%

Hispanic or Latino 9.82%

Unknown 4.41%

White 78.23%

Gender

female 29.35%

male 70.65%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress level

6.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.4

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a national account manager?

Pros

High earning potential
Opportunities for career growth and advancement
Ability to work with high-profile clients
Exposure to a variety of industries
Collaborative work environment

Cons

High levels of stress and pressure
Long hours and irregular schedules
Frequent travel can be exhausting
Need to constantly meet sales targets
Often have to handle difficult clients or situations

Key steps to become a national account manager

Explore national account manager education requirements

Most common national account manager degrees

Bachelor's

81.3 %

Master's

8.3 %

Associate

7.3 %

Start to develop specific national account manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Account Management	9.02%
Customer Service	8.51%
National Accounts	7.59%
Healthcare	5.67%
CRM	4.43%

Complete relevant national account manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New national account managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a national account manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real national account manager resumes.

Research national account manager duties and responsibilities

Achieve ROI optimization for key retailers nationwide; employ consultative sales methodology.
Managed/Analyze individual account POS numbers to assist in forecasting, manage inventory and overall category management.
Manage OEM relationship from a proactive consultative role proposing strategy and tactics for client base on research data and marketing/engagement metrics.
Improve sales process documentation by utilizing CRM to better communicate with field sales staff in idealizing customer interactions.

Prepare your national account manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your national account manager resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a national account manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable national account manager resume templates

Build a professional national account manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your national account manager resume.

Apply for national account manager jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a national account manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do national account managers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

National account manager reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2020

Pros

Semi-flexible work hours. You have a sales goal and customers to call on in order to achieve said goal, so you have some flexibility of your schedule.

Cons

The amount of travel required takes you away from home frequently. If you have a family, being away starts taking a toll on them and work/life balance suffers.

A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020

Pros

The Strategic approach used to uncover new sales opportunities excites me the most working as an Enterprise Account Executive.

Cons

This is a great career.

A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019

Pros

Speaking g at trade shows and seminars. Contributing to the software products we sold. Technical writer for the owners manual.

What is a national account manager and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a national account manager?

What are the pros and cons of being a national account manager?

National account manager career paths

Key steps to become a national account manager

Explore national account manager education requirements

Most common national account manager degrees

Start to develop specific national account manager skills

Complete relevant national account manager training and internships

Research national account manager duties and responsibilities

Prepare your national account manager resume

Choose from 10+ customizable national account manager resume templates

Apply for national account manager jobs

How did you land your first national account manager job

Average national account manager salary

How do national account managers rate their job?

National account manager reviews

National account manager FAQs

How much do accounts managers make?

Is account manager a stressful job?

What education is required to become an account manager?

What is the difference between a key account manager and a national account manager?

Search for national account manager jobs