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Department lead salary
Average department lead salary
$42,113
Average Department Lead Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Department Lead is approximately $42,113 per year or $20 per hour. This figure serves as a baseline, with variations influenced by factors such as geographic location, industry sector, and years of experience.
Salary by Experience Level
Department Leads with more experience typically command higher salaries. Entry-level positions may start lower, while seasoned professionals can earn significantly more, reflecting their expertise and leadership capabilities.
Highest Paying States
Salary estimates reveal that certain states offer more competitive pay for Department Leads. States like California and New York often provide higher salaries compared to the national average. To maximize earnings, consider relocating to these high-paying areas.
Job Opportunities
Numerous job listings are available for Department Leads across various industries, including retail, healthcare, and manufacturing. Leverage resources on job boards like Zippia to find positions that match your skills and career aspirations.
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Where can a Department Lead earn more?
Department lead salaries by experience level
Department lead salary estimates from across the web
Average department lead salary by state
The highest-paying states for department leads are Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Jersey. The lowest average department lead salary states are South Dakota, Kansas, and Utah.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for department leads
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | $56,649 | $27.24 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $78,228 | $37.61 |
| 3 | New York | $74,648 | $35.89 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $80,785 | $38.84 |
| 5 | Louisiana | $53,313 | $25.63 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $63,229 | $30.40 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $68,453 | $32.91 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $87,173 | $41.91 |
| 9 | Nevada | $52,440 | $25.21 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $52,065 | $25.03 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $65,774 | $31.62 |
| 12 | Ohio | $54,796 | $26.34 |
| 13 | Delaware | $68,619 | $32.99 |
| 14 | Mississippi | $50,592 | $24.32 |
| 15 | Maryland | $64,177 | $30.85 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $72,519 | $34.86 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $56,876 | $27.34 |
| 18 | Vermont | $51,616 | $24.82 |
| 19 | South Carolina | $49,975 | $24.03 |
| 20 | Missouri | $51,507 | $24.76 |
| 21 | Virginia | $58,196 | $27.98 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $67,111 | $32.26 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $53,164 | $25.56 |
| 24 | Illinois | $55,002 | $26.44 |
| 25 | Texas | $50,084 | $24.08 |
| 26 | Alabama | $49,557 | $23.83 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $49,265 | $23.69 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $47,146 | $22.67 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $42,650 | $20.50 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $41,612 | $20.01 |
| 31 | Idaho | $43,453 | $20.89 |
| 32 | Maine | $49,336 | $23.72 |
| 33 | Georgia | $47,623 | $22.90 |
| 34 | Alaska | $42,861 | $20.61 |
| 35 | California | $51,145 | $24.59 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $45,768 | $22.00 |
| 37 | Florida | $47,807 | $22.98 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $40,920 | $19.67 |
| 39 | Indiana | $44,354 | $21.32 |
| 40 | Arizona | $48,143 | $23.15 |
| 41 | Kansas | $40,339 | $19.39 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $41,805 | $20.10 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $41,546 | $19.97 |
| 44 | Iowa | $41,195 | $19.81 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $38,488 | $18.50 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $37,156 | $17.86 |
| 47 | Montana | $35,334 | $16.99 |
| 48 | Colorado | $42,701 | $20.53 |
| 49 | Oregon | $43,195 | $20.77 |
| 50 | Utah | $38,646 | $18.58 |
| 51 | Washington | $41,968 | $20.18 |
Highest paying cities for department leads
The highest-paying cities for department leads are New Haven, CT, New York, NY, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Haven, CT | $81,890 | $39.37 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $75,721 | $36.40 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $72,479 | $34.85 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $65,213 | $31.35 |
| 5 | Coon Rapids, MN | $56,809 | $27.31 |
| 6 | Columbus, OH | $55,067 | $26.47 |
| 7 | Brownsville, TX | $55,004 | $26.44 |
| 8 | Saint Charles, IL | $54,617 | $26.26 |
| 9 | Sparks, NV | $53,942 | $25.93 |
| 10 | Rohnert Park, CA | $53,539 | $25.74 |
| 11 | Mount Pleasant, WI | $52,698 | $25.34 |
| 12 | Saint Louis, MO | $52,569 | $25.27 |
| 13 | Portland, ME | $50,650 | $24.35 |
| 14 | Mount Pleasant, SC | $50,466 | $24.26 |
| 15 | Birmingham, AL | $48,340 | $23.24 |
| 16 | Alpharetta, GA | $47,135 | $22.66 |
| 17 | Brentwood, TN | $47,090 | $22.64 |
| 18 | Vancouver, WA | $44,180 | $21.24 |
| 19 | Indianapolis, IN | $43,784 | $21.05 |
| 20 | Asheville, NC | $43,150 | $20.75 |
Department lead salary details
A department lead's salary ranges from $22,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $79,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a department lead's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $79,000 | $6,583 | $38 |
| 75th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
| Average | $42,113 | $3,509 | $20 |
| 25th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
Highest paying department lead jobs
The highest paying types of department leads are sales leader, department manager, and assistant department head.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floor Supervisor | $27,963 | $2,330 | $13.44 | 321,113 |
| Stock Supervisor | $35,706 | $2,976 | $17.17 | 89,887 |
| Stores Supervisor | $34,046 | $2,837 | $16.37 | 286,651 |
| Shift Supervisor | $34,141 | $2,845 | $16.41 | 282,079 |
| Area Supervisor | $40,965 | $3,414 | $19.69 | 106,356 |
| Dept Manager | $50,222 | $4,185 | $24.15 | 221,313 |
Top companies hiring department leads now:
Which companies pay department leads the most?
Department lead salaries at Tufts Medical Center and Gillette are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average department lead salary at companies like Cleveland Clinic and Harsco are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tufts Medical Center | $136,651 | $65.70 |
| 2 | Gillette | $128,873 | $61.96 |
| 3 | Cleveland Clinic | $109,942 | $52.86 |
| 4 | Harsco | $104,840 | $50.40 |
| 5 | Edward Jones | $98,600 | $47.40 |
| 6 | AMETEK | $93,536 | $44.97 |
| 7 | HDR | $87,445 | $42.04 |
| 8 | Gresham Smith | $82,551 | $39.69 |
| 9 | Olsson | $76,624 | $36.84 |
| 10 | Raytheon Technologies | $70,587 | $33.94 |
| 11 | Virginia Commonwealth University | $56,703 | $27.26 |
| 12 | Leggett & Platt | $55,561 | $26.71 |
| 13 | RGA Environmental, A Terracon Company | $54,617 | $26.26 |
| 14 | Oldcastle Infrastructure | $53,115 | $25.54 |
| 15 | Conway Medical Center | $52,005 | $25.00 |
| 16 | P&G | $49,383 | $23.74 |
| 17 | St Joseph Medical Group | $49,082 | $23.60 |
| 18 | Tuality Healthcare | $48,899 | $23.51 |
| 19 | AssuredPartners | $48,513 | $23.32 |
| 20 | IKEA North America Services, LLC | $47,554 | $22.86 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Department Lead salary by industry
The average department lead salary varies across industries:
- The average department lead salary in the manufacturing industry is $47,921, the highest of any industry.
- The average department lead salary in the finance industry is $42,864.
- Department leads in the retail industry earn an average salary of $33,710, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for department leads
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $47,921 | $23.04 |
| 2 | Health Care | $42,864 | $20.61 |
| 3 | Finance | $39,711 | $19.09 |
| 4 | Retail | $33,710 | $16.21 |
High paying department lead jobs
Department lead salary trends
The average department lead salary has risen by $5,165 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average department lead earned $36,948 annually, but today, they earn $42,113 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for department leads over the last decade.
Compare department lead salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average department lead salary over time
Compare department lead salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Department lead salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $42,100 | $20.25 | +3.0% |
| 2025 | $40,900 | $19.65 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $40,100 | $19.30 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | $39,000 | $18.77 | -1.3% |
| 2022 | $39,500 | $19.01 | +1.9% |
Recently added department lead salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Jude Children's Research Hospital | Lead Researcher-Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy | Memphis, TN | 06/29/2025 | $60,320 |
| Us Foods Holding Corp | Department Lead | Lynchburg, VA | 06/28/2025 | $31,305 |
| Maine Community College System | Emergency Medical Services Department Lead Instructor | South Portland, ME | 06/28/2025 | $48,135 |
| Southern Maine Community College | Emergency Medical Services Department Lead Instructor | South Portland, ME | 06/28/2025 | $48,135 |
| Multiquip Inc. | Department Lead, Assembly (Internal Applicants) | Boise, ID | 06/27/2025 | $43,827 |
| Vail Resorts | Department Lead-Transportation and Fleet Delivery | Vail, CO | 06/26/2025 | $43,827 |
| Us Foods | Department Lead | Portland, OR | 06/25/2025 | $31,305 |
| Rural King | Department Lead-Apparel | Charleston, IL | 06/22/2025 | $36,523 |
| Smart Foodservice Stores | Department Lead | Twin Falls, ID | 06/21/2025 | $31,305 |
| The TJX Companies, Inc. | Retail Department Lead | Cincinnati, OH | 06/20/2025 | $29,218 |
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