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The differences between partners and operating partners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 8-10 years to become a partner, 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 $76,119 average annual salary of a partner.
The top three skills for a partner include patients, customer service and healthcare. The most important skills for an operating partner are project management, shared services, and digital marketing.
| Partner | Operating Partner | |
| Yearly salary | $76,119 | $93,101 |
| Hourly rate | $36.60 | $44.76 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 45,758 | 144,208 |
| Job satisfaction | 1 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 39 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 6 |
A business partner is responsible for providing strategies and recommendations on how the business will operate, increasing its revenues while sharing profits. Business partners must have extensive knowledge of how the current market industry works to identify the best decisions for the business. A business partner should also be engaged in suggesting new services and offers that the company might consider for its clients. Business partners must also keep the confidentiality of their partnering business administration at all times.
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.
Partners and operating partners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Partner | Operating Partner | |
| Average salary | $76,119 | $93,101 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $182,000 | Between $55,000 And $156,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New York | Virginia |
| Best paying company | Sidley Austin | Teradata |
| Best paying industry | - | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a partner and an operating partner in terms of educational background:
| Partner | Operating Partner | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between partners' and operating partners' demographics:
| Partner | Operating Partner | |
| Average age | 39 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.3% Female, 37.7% | Male, 78.8% Female, 21.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 10% | 10% |