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The differences between owners and operating partners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes More than 10 years to become an owner, becoming an operating partner takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an operating partner has an average salary of $93,101, which is higher than the $90,334 average annual salary of an owner.
The top three skills for an owner include customer service, payroll and financial statements. The most important skills for an operating partner are project management, shared services, and digital marketing.
| Owner | Operating Partner | |
| Yearly salary | $90,334 | $93,101 |
| Hourly rate | $43.43 | $44.76 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 86,486 | 144,208 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 52 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
Owners, in the most basic sense, own the business, company, or organization. They are responsible for building the business. They create business plans and the general vision and mission of the company, set goals, work on these goals, and ensure that the business keeps running. They manage all aspects of their business, from finances to marketing to people, etc. When the business becomes stable, owners eventually hire more employees. As such, owners also become overseers who would ensure that the organization remains afloat.
An operating partner coordinates a portfolio company's efforts and serves as the liaison between private equity firms. They typically assess and manage teams, set objectives, establish guidelines and timelines, conduct market research and analyses, and assist teams in developing various operational strategies. They also gather and analyze extensive data, identify the strengths and weaknesses of existing processes, recommend solutions against problem areas, and create methods to optimize operations. Moreover, an operating partner must maintain an active communication line with staff while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Owners and operating partners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Owner | Operating Partner | |
| Average salary | $90,334 | $93,101 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $135,000 | Between $55,000 And $156,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Virginia |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | Teradata |
| Best paying industry | - | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between an owner and an operating partner in terms of educational background:
| Owner | Operating Partner | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between owners' and operating partners' demographics:
| Owner | Operating Partner | |
| Average age | 52 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.1% Female, 36.9% | Male, 78.8% Female, 21.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 7.5% White, 76.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 10% |