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Job outlook for owner/managers in the United States
Owner/manager job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected owner/manager job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 189,200 new jobs for owner/managers are projected over the next decade.
Owner/manager salaries have increased 4% for owner/managers in the last 5 years.
There are over 745,228 owner/managers currently employed in the United States.
There are 303,790 active owner/manager job openings in the US.
The average owner/manager salary is $75,822.
Are owner/manager jobs in demand?
Owner/manager job and salary trends over time
Owner/manager jobs over time
Owner/manager job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 745,228 | 0.22% |
| 2020 | 684,362 | 0.20% |
| 2019 | 704,560 | 0.21% |
| 2018 | 680,403 | 0.20% |
| 2017 | 666,684 | 0.20% |
Average owner/manager salary over time
Owner/manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $75,822 | $36.45 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $73,722 | $35.44 | --0.1% |
| 2023 | $73,832 | $35.50 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $73,452 | $35.31 | +1.1% |
| 2021 | $72,647 | $34.93 | +1.6% |
Owner/manager jobs by state
Most common states for owner/managers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 477 | 69% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 556 | 58% |
| 3 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 2,552 | 42% |
| 4 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 549 | 41% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,758 | 40% |
| 6 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 3,136 | 37% |
| 7 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 2,583 | 37% |
| 8 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 1,824 | 37% |
| 9 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 2,390 | 36% |
| 10 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 382 | 36% |
| 11 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 2,327 | 35% |
| 12 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 372 | 35% |
| 13 | California | 39,536,653 | 13,521 | 34% |
| 14 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 3,569 | 34% |
| 15 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 1,727 | 34% |
| 16 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 1,532 | 34% |
| 17 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 977 | 34% |
| 18 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 3,863 | 33% |
| 19 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 3,339 | 33% |
| 20 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,855 | 33% |
Most common cities for owner/managers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Chicago | 1 | 4% | $75,523 |
| 2 | Peachtree City | 1 | 3% | $61,479 |
| 3 | Fort Lauderdale | 1 | 1% | $57,139 |
| 4 | Framingham | 1 | 1% | $116,901 |
| 5 | Rockville | 1 | 1% | $101,255 |
Owner/Manager job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of owner/manager experts
Pennsylvania State University - Greater Allegheny
Landmark College
University of West Georgia
Tiffin University
Pepperdine University, Seaver College
Sam Houston State University
The City College of New York
Belmont University
Sonoma State University
Georgia State University
What general advice would you give to an Owner/Manager?
Mark Zweig: Because the potential is unlimited! An entrepreneur can design their job around their personal needs and strengths. And you can do it as long as you live!
What Owner/Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mark Zweig: Entrepreneurs work in all kinds of industries and have widely varying routines. Some have one business and some have many businesses. The primary thrust, however, is building value in the business vs. extracting profits. Typical day-to-day involves putting fires out, solving people problems, recruiting key people, selling whatever it is the business sells, and working on mergers/acquisitions/exits.
What will help Owner/Managers increase their earning potential?
Mark Zweig: They like the freedom to come and go. They also hate the fact they can never fully disconnect. Another negative is they tend to get very little positive feedback from their people or the media. Happy customer feedback can be reinforcing, however.
What Owner/Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Kim Roberts: Business professionals lead organizations by focused efforts that revolve around products/services, processes, and people. Business professionals work to ensure the firm's products and/or services meet customer expectations, with an eye toward an ever-changing market. They manage processes that produce or support the firm's products. This requires the ability to analyze data to make informed decisions, to drive continuous improvement, and to solve problems through critical thinking. Successful business professionals must also create climates that promote teamwork and foster collaboration.
Bernie Cerasaro
Assistant Teaching ProfessorPennsylvania State University - Greater Allegheny
Business Department
What skills stand out on Owner/Manager resumes?
Bernie Cerasaro: Skills employers would be looking for would be functional skills and interpersonal skills. Functional skills should stand out on a resume and be aligned to the business job in question. For example, if focused on marketing positions, marketing skills such as data analytics, market research, consumer behavior, global marketing, and professional selling skills would be areas for which employers would be looking. If the job market is looking for someone in accounting, then functional skills that would stand out would be intermediate financial accounting skills and courses on taxation and auditing. For those seeking positions in project management or supply chain management, skills that would stand out would encompass subject matter such as project management, portfolio management, operations planning and control, purchasing and materials management, and knowledge of ERP type systems and other business processes.
Skill sets can be enhanced via various types of certification. For example, those interested in accounting might pursue a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) license, which requires 150 credits. As most universities require 120 credits for a bachelor's degree in business, a CPA would require just an additional 30 credits, which students can start accumulating while still at college. Project management certification is also an opportunity to enhance the aforementioned skills and would certainly stand out on an applicant's resume. The Project Management Institute (PMI) promotes PMP certification, which validates that you are highly skilled in soft skills to lead project teams and have the required technical aspects of managing projects. Some universities are working with the PMI to have PMI-approved courses. Approved courses are used toward the PMP training hours required to sit for the exam. For example, Penn State University has received approval for two such courses, Portfolio Management and Organizations and Project Planning and Resource Management.
Due to the high rate of interaction with the global marketplace and the complexity of international business, managers are looking more closely at applicants who have some familiarity with global markets and international culture, such as applicants who may have study abroad experience, traveled internationally, speak a foreign language or have lived or worked in another country.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Owner/Managers?
Bernie Cerasaro: Most technical skills required in today's marketplace are associated with task requirements in specific functional areas. However, some skillsets can be considered general, such as using Word, Excel, or Zoom. Technical skills relevant to social media are also critical. The ability to construct a web page and post on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter is essential. For [CBC1] functional areas, examples of needed technical expertise would be Microsoft Project for project management and SAP for supply chain management.
What skills stand out on Owner/Manager resumes?
Dr. Jeanette Landin: Skills that stand out on contemporary business manager resumes are soft skills. Business managers indeed need insight and knowledge about the business and hard skills, including financial and other technical skills. What stands out on contemporary, successful business manager resumes are their soft skills. Interpersonal skills are atop the list because business is all about people working with other people to achieve a common goal: The business's mission. The people skills of communication, collaboration, and delegation are a vital part of the manager's ability to influence colleagues, delegate work, and achieve the company's mission.
Thomas Gainey Ph.D.
Chair and ProfessorUniversity of West Georgia
Department of Management in the Richards College of Business
What skills stand out on Owner/Manager resumes?
Thomas Gainey Ph.D.: Given the recent pandemic, many employers are looking for employees who can easily adjust to changing conditions and adapt to working online if necessary. Thus, resumes that demonstrate a candidate is flexible, creative, and self-disciplined are going to be attractive. Additionally, the extent to which a candidate can show excellent time-management skills will likely create more opportunities in the job market.
Dr. Bonnie Tiell
Professor of Sport ManagementTiffin University
School of Business
What skills will help Owner/Managers earn the most?
Dr. Bonnie Tiell: Skills helping managers earn the most are those that impact the bottom line - it depends on the organization's needs, but those that can produce or increase revenue will earn more --- sales!
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Owner/Managers?
Steven Bauer: The coronavirus has accelerated the transformation to a digital world, and this effect will continue after the pandemic is behind us. Graduates will need to be able to navigate a hybrid business environment, with in-person and virtual meetings, interactions and platforms. There will also be increased opportunities to be entrepreneurial and innovative in the digital area. In addition, graduates will have to become more skilled at navigating a global environment since greater digitization will draw countries closer to each other.
Carliss Miller Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of ManagementSam Houston State University
Department of Management & Marketing
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Owner/Manager job market given the pandemic?
Carliss Miller Ph.D.: Flexible working arrangements were considered a perk or benefit, but given the pandemic more and more jobs will be designed with flexible work arrangements in mind. We will continue to see trends in the labor market with a push towards personal services (e.g. virtual assistants, professional organizers) and professional services. There will also continue to be a demand for knowledge work. More and more, employers are looking to hire applicants that can provide concrete evidence of being "Day 1" ready.
Employers will focus more on identifying prospects with certain "soft skills" which were a nice-to-have pre-pandemic, but are now critical for organizational survival. These skills include: critical thinking, agility, ability to adapt to change, resilience, virtual team effectiveness, crisis management, emotional intelligence, empathy, and inclusive leadership. Additionally, data analysis and interpretation is a highly sought after skill even for jobs that historically did not require analytical ability.
What type of skills will young Owner/Managers need?
Prabal Kumar De Ph.D.: I think the necessary skills remain the same. One modification that would stay is greater virtual engagement. Therefore, newly essential skills such as acing a virtual interview, making a mark during a Zoom meeting, or managing or being a valuable part of a remote working group would be useful long after the immediate threats from the COVID-19 crisis be gone.
Nina Woodard
Senior Career Development SpecialistBelmont University
Office of Career & Professional Development
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Owner/Manager job market given the pandemic?
Nina Woodard: The pandemic hasn't impacted all areas of the entertainment industry in the same way. Anything related to live events and touring has been placed on an extended pause, which has been very difficult for graduates hoping to work in those fields. On an encouraging note, consumers will always find a way back to live experiences, so that segment of the industry will absolutely recover; the timing is just still a bit unknown. Other areas such as record or publishing companies have held steady. And, digital marketing and content creation companies are as busy, if not busier, than they've ever been as artists seek alternative ways to stay connected to their fans. Technology has intersected with entertainment in exciting, creative ways that will continue even as some of the more traditional avenues become available again. For many companies, ideas that started as pivots are now vibrant components of their long-term strategies.
The way we work may have also permanently changed. Companies have realized that remote working is a truly viable option for most businesses. While maintaining company culture, and the social nature of an entertainment-based organization, may still require some level of in-person interaction, it seems likely that many organizations may continue with remote/hybrid office models.
What Owner/Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Nina Woodard: For entertainment, digital marketing and content creation skills are critical. Even if a role isn't specifically connected to digital marketing, social media is almost always involved in most entry-level roles. We strongly encourage students and recent graduates to learn basic graphic design platforms, video editing and audio editing. Learning how to maximize impact on social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram or TikTok is also a worthy investment of time. There's a wide range of self-paced training resources online, many available for free or at reduced costs for students.
Craig Nathanson Ph.D.
Adjunct LecturerSonoma State University
School of Business & Economics
What experience really stands out on Owner/Manager resumes?
Craig Nathanson Ph.D.: Most important on resumes to only show accomplishments you are proud of and reflect measurable success and completion of past work. These accomplishments should be a snapshot of what we have done and can do in the future. The most important two lines of a resume are in the objectives, to list what the person is seeking. These two lines give the reader a quick view of what the person wants.
Now is a great time to start the new year to build a portable work portfolio to represent an alignment of what a person is excited about and enjoys in their work.
What type of skills will young Owner/Managers need?
Craig Nathanson Ph.D.: I see the essential human skills gaining importance to build a new post-covid work life. These include creativity, leading and working in teams, writing, speaking, being self-aware, and lowering bias and networking; career branding as critical areas for graduates to focus on now.
Jason Aldrich
Assistant Dean, Strategic Partnerships and Career AdvancementGeorgia State University
J. Mack Robinson College of Business
What Owner/Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jason Aldrich: JA – Research indicates the majority of employers are seeking evidence of a candidate’s ability to think critically, solve problems and to work in a team, with the key word being “evidence”. In addition, more than half of employers evaluate resumes and cover letters for excellent written communication skills. Looking out over the next 3-5 years, students should be focused on developing the NACE career readiness competencies that employers deem most important for college students to develop including: communication, critical thinking, and teamwork.
What will help Owner/Managers increase their earning potential?
Jason Aldrich: JA – The key to maximizing your salary potential is to make the most of your college experience by earning outstanding grades, building the communication and teamwork skills necessary to solve complex problems, and engaging in experiential learning, co-curricular activities, and internships. This approach will help you demonstrate to potential employers that you have the skills and are ready to hit the ground running to address the challenges they face. In addition, it’s important to also assess each market sector you are considering in terms of compensation standards, opportunities for growth, and most highly prioritized skills. For example, your research might reveal that you have everything a potential employer would be willing to pay a highly competitive salary for except experience in financial modeling or programming in Python. If this is the case, you can quickly take a course or enroll in a BootCamp to learn a particular skill. This approach also sets you up for success after you start working. For example, today’s hot topic is how firms can apply generative AI to their business model for better outcomes. Becoming knowledgeable in the concepts of generative AI and contributing to the conversation will set you apart from your colleagues. As a general rule, you should continuously seek new opportunities to learn and upskill while you’re employed.