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The average salary for a Department Manager is reported to be $67,160 per year, or about $32 per hour. This figure can fluctuate significantly depending on various factors such as geographical location, industry sector, and the individual's level of experience. Typically, department managers in retail or manufacturing sectors tend to earn higher salaries due to the responsibilities involved.
Entry-level department managers often start with lower compensation, typically around $50,000 per year, while those with extensive experience can earn upwards of $90,000 annually. This progression illustrates the importance of gaining relevant experience and skills in advancing one's career.
Department managers in states like California and New York often see higher salaries compared to those in less populated areas. The demand for skilled managers in urban centers drives competitive compensation packages.
As organizations expand, the need for effective department managers continues to grow, offering ample job opportunities. Aspiring department managers should explore roles in diverse sectors, including retail, healthcare, and logistics, to find the best fit for their skills.
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The highest-paying states for department managers are New Jersey, New York, and California. The lowest average department manager salary states are Kentucky, West Virginia, and Mississippi.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $95,153 | $45.75 |
| 2 | New York | $85,519 | $41.11 |
| 3 | Virginia | $79,162 | $38.06 |
| 4 | Maryland | $76,081 | $36.58 |
| 5 | Texas | $69,020 | $33.18 |
| 6 | Wisconsin | $73,016 | $35.10 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $65,201 | $31.35 |
| 8 | California | $79,584 | $38.26 |
| 9 | Michigan | $69,648 | $33.48 |
| 10 | Ohio | $70,387 | $33.84 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $66,108 | $31.78 |
| 12 | Delaware | $70,963 | $34.12 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $70,998 | $34.13 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $58,948 | $28.34 |
| 15 | Nevada | $60,930 | $29.29 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $87,617 | $42.12 |
| 17 | Florida | $58,806 | $28.27 |
| 18 | Georgia | $62,485 | $30.04 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $66,970 | $32.20 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $71,563 | $34.41 |
| 21 | Iowa | $55,290 | $26.58 |
| 22 | Montana | $53,579 | $25.76 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $52,645 | $25.31 |
| 24 | Oregon | $60,996 | $29.32 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $52,521 | $25.25 |
| 26 | Washington | $58,844 | $28.29 |
| 27 | Indiana | $54,590 | $26.25 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $54,392 | $26.15 |
| 29 | Arizona | $53,687 | $25.81 |
| 30 | Massachusetts | $58,990 | $28.36 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $55,880 | $26.87 |
| 32 | Illinois | $52,902 | $25.43 |
| 33 | Idaho | $54,661 | $26.28 |
| 34 | Colorado | $52,324 | $25.16 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $53,723 | $25.83 |
| 36 | Kansas | $53,161 | $25.56 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $46,810 | $22.50 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $51,452 | $24.74 |
| 39 | Missouri | $48,170 | $23.16 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $46,131 | $22.18 |
| 41 | Alabama | $48,369 | $23.25 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $48,894 | $23.51 |
| 43 | Maine | $45,439 | $21.85 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $50,437 | $24.25 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $46,024 | $22.13 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $47,061 | $22.63 |
| 47 | Vermont | $49,686 | $23.89 |
| 48 | Utah | $45,410 | $21.83 |
| 49 | Alaska | $50,318 | $24.19 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $43,881 | $21.10 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $45,480 | $21.87 |
The highest-paying cities for department managers are New York, NY, Richmond, CA, and Arlington, VA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $86,890 | $41.77 |
| 2 | Richmond, CA | $85,476 | $41.09 |
| 3 | Arlington, VA | $80,283 | $38.60 |
| 4 | Baltimore, MD | $76,413 | $36.74 |
| 5 | Madison, WI | $72,726 | $34.96 |
| 6 | San Antonio, TX | $71,708 | $34.48 |
| 7 | Cleveland, OH | $71,695 | $34.47 |
| 8 | Detroit, MI | $70,232 | $33.77 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $66,240 | $31.85 |
| 10 | Atlanta, GA | $62,077 | $29.84 |
| 11 | Miami, FL | $61,010 | $29.33 |
| 12 | Las Vegas, NV | $60,547 | $29.11 |
| 13 | Portland, OR | $60,071 | $28.88 |
| 14 | Boston, MA | $58,519 | $28.13 |
| 15 | Greenville, NC | $58,436 | $28.09 |
| 16 | Fort Wayne, IN | $56,211 | $27.02 |
| 17 | Omaha, NE | $54,441 | $26.17 |
| 18 | Phoenix, AZ | $53,684 | $25.81 |
| 19 | Chicago, IL | $53,198 | $25.58 |
| 20 | Colorado Springs, CO | $52,745 | $25.36 |
Department Managers are the most in-demand in these five cities:
A department manager's salary ranges from $39,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $115,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $115,000 | $9,583 | $55 |
| 75th Percentile | $89,000 | $7,417 | $43 |
| Average | $67,160 | $5,597 | $32 |
| 25th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| 10th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
The highest paying types of department managers are stock manager, lead manager, and associate manager.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manager On Duty | $37,423 | $3,119 | $17.99 | 318,375 |
| Store Manager And Buyer | $68,964 | $5,747 | $33.16 | 154,677 |
| Co-Manager | $64,962 | $5,413 | $31.23 | 258,234 |
| Produce Manager | $37,310 | $3,109 | $17.94 | 157,993 |
| Manager | $58,651 | $4,888 | $28.20 | 1,236,194 |
| Co-Manager/Store Manager | $41,516 | $3,460 | $19.96 | 359,826 |
Top companies hiring department managers now:
Department manager salaries at Ralph Lauren and Pace University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average department manager salary at companies like Barry-Wehmiller and Goldman Sachs are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ralph Lauren | $150,371 | $72.29 |
| 2 | Pace University | $141,124 | $67.85 |
| 3 | Barry-Wehmiller | $137,340 | $66.03 |
| 4 | Goldman Sachs | $133,578 | $64.22 |
| 5 | University of Maryland Medical System | $131,933 | $63.43 |
| 6 | Baystate Health | $129,221 | $62.13 |
| 7 | Intel | $127,740 | $61.41 |
| 8 | Mattel | $125,658 | $60.41 |
| 9 | M&T Bank | $122,476 | $58.88 |
| 10 | Abercrombie & Fitch Co | $121,074 | $58.21 |
| 11 | Plastic Omnium Auto Exteriors | $119,378 | $57.39 |
| 12 | Technip USA Corporation | $118,036 | $56.75 |
| 13 | QuintilesIMS | $117,989 | $56.73 |
| 14 | Magna International | $117,287 | $56.39 |
| 15 | Qualcomm | $117,020 | $56.26 |
| 16 | Intertek | $116,736 | $56.12 |
| 17 | D.A. Davidson Companies | $116,501 | $56.01 |
| 18 | MITRE | $114,700 | $55.14 |
| 19 | CVS Health | $112,974 | $54.31 |
| 20 | PepsiCo | $111,824 | $53.76 |
The average department manager salary has risen by $8,237 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average department manager earned $58,923 annually, but today, they earn $67,160 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for department managers over the last decade.
Compare department manager salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare department manager salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $67,200 | $32.29 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $65,200 | $31.33 | +1.8% |
| 2023 | $64,000 | $30.77 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $62,300 | $29.94 | -1.3% |
| 2021 | $63,100 | $30.32 | +1.9% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Templeton | Manager, Fee Department | Saint Petersburg, FL | 06/30/2025 | $110,000 |
| Michael Baker | Water/Wastewater Department Manager Orange County or LA CA (Hybrid) | Santa Ana, CA | 06/29/2025 | $185,000 |
| Perspecta | Growth Department Manager-Navy Mission Support | Reston, VA | 06/29/2025 | $146,000 |
| Winco Foods | Bulk Foods Department Manager | Midwest City, OK | 06/29/2025 | $48,961 |
| H&M | Department Manager | North Charleston, SC | 06/29/2025 | $39,695 |
| Good Foods Co-Op Inc. | Prepared Foods Department Manager | Lexington, KY | 06/29/2025 | $39,500 |
| Bncollege | New York-Department Manager-Cafe | Delhi, NY | 06/29/2025 | $39,653 |
| Barnes & Noble Education | New York-Department Manager-Cafe | Delhi, NY | 06/28/2025 | $39,653 |
| Floor & Decor | Tile Department Manager | Danbury, CT | 06/28/2025 | $41,010 |
| Sportsman's Warehouse | 259-ELK Grove-Department MGR-Wage | Elk Grove, CA | 06/28/2025 | $37,566 |
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