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The differences between portfolio administrators and risk managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a portfolio administrator and a risk manager. Additionally, a risk manager has an average salary of $116,072, which is higher than the $61,414 average annual salary of a portfolio administrator.
The top three skills for a portfolio administrator include booking, securities and CDO. The most important skills for a risk manager are oversight, risk assessments, and project management.
| Portfolio Administrator | Risk Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $61,414 | $116,072 |
| Hourly rate | $29.53 | $55.80 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 53,690 | 75,795 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
A Portfolio Administrator oversees financial analysts to put into practice strategies capable of augmenting the organization's portfolio. They research and choose the portfolio's industries, products, and regions and update the stakeholders and management about these investment decisions. Other duties performed by portfolio administrators include writing reports, creating investment strategies, assessing financial information, and monitoring business trends. These professionals also identify market opportunities and risks and reorganize portfolios as required to meet all the financial goals.
A risk manager is responsible for analyzing potential risks that may affect the organization's operations, reputation, and market credibility. Risk managers identify risk controls and discuss business contingency plans for unforeseen circumstances to prevent delays in operational services. They also develop compliance training and programs for all the employees to provide them the awareness of the safety and security regulations within the company premises. A risk manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills, especially on handling and investigating cases that might compromise the business stability and financial status.
Portfolio administrators and risk managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Portfolio Administrator | Risk Manager | |
| Average salary | $61,414 | $116,072 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $110,000 | Between $84,000 And $160,000 |
| Highest paying City | Old Bridge, NJ | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Citi | Credit Karma |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a portfolio administrator and a risk manager in terms of educational background:
| Portfolio Administrator | Risk Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between portfolio administrators' and risk managers' demographics:
| Portfolio Administrator | Risk Manager | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.9% Female, 52.1% | Male, 59.3% Female, 40.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 10.2% White, 63.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 10.1% White, 63.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |