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The differences between owner/operators and operating partners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an owner/operator, becoming an operating partner takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an owner/operator has an average salary of $167,288, which is higher than the $93,101 average annual salary of an operating partner.
The top three skills for an owner/operator include CDL, PET and customer service. The most important skills for an operating partner are project management, shared services, and digital marketing.
| Owner/Operator | Operating Partner | |
| Yearly salary | $167,288 | $93,101 |
| Hourly rate | $80.43 | $44.76 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 119,599 | 144,208 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 48 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
Owners/operators manage the business in all aspects, especially in those related to operations. They ensure that every aspect of the business is running smoothly. They oversee finance, marketing, logistics, sales, and even the human resources of the whole organization. They set business goals, create action plans to achieve them, and make sure that the plans are followed through. They set strategic direction and make business decisions that would be the most beneficial to the organization. They ensure that the business has enough funds to continue operating and that the quality of the products and services they offer continuously improve.
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.
Owner/operators and operating partners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Owner/Operator | Operating Partner | |
| Average salary | $167,288 | $93,101 |
| Salary range | Between $105,000 And $264,000 | Between $55,000 And $156,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bridgeport, CT | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Virginia |
| Best paying company | Reddy Ice | Teradata |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between an owner/operator and an operating partner in terms of educational background:
| Owner/Operator | Operating Partner | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between owner/operators' and operating partners' demographics:
| Owner/Operator | Operating Partner | |
| Average age | 48 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.8% Female, 33.2% | Male, 78.8% Female, 21.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 3.6% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | 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 | 4% | 10% |