Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between sales lead/sales associates and sales associate/managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a sales lead/sales associate and a sales associate/manager. Additionally, a sales associate/manager has an average salary of $41,412, which is higher than the $31,954 average annual salary of a sales lead/sales associate.
The top three skills for a sales lead/sales associate include POS, cash control and customer service. The most important skills for a sales associate/manager are customer service, sales floor, and strong customer service.
| Sales Lead/Sales Associate | Sales Associate/Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $31,954 | $41,412 |
| Hourly rate | $15.36 | $19.91 |
| Growth rate | - | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 882,220 | 318,977 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Sales lead and sales associates are two different sales positions in the retail industry. A sales lead is in charge of supervising the sales department. Sales leads perform administrative duties like recruiting and training staff, monitoring inventories, and maintaining sales performance. On the other hand, sales associates guide potential customers to acquire the products or services that fit their needs. The associates notify clients of sales promotions then present to them the product or service. Employees for these positions are looking for candidates with relevant experience in sales and related degrees like marketing and sales.
As the name entails, sales associates or associate managers are responsible for helping the store manager organize and run the retail stores. Their roles and responsibilities include ensuring that the store's goals are met by the sales team, hiring and training sales staff, and monitoring inventory. They are also expected to analyze consumer behavior, look for competitive products in the market, and communicate and evaluate clients' needs. To be qualified for this position, you should have experience as an assistant manager, organizational and leadership skills, and proficiency in MS Office.
Sales lead/sales associates and sales associate/managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Sales Lead/Sales Associate | Sales Associate/Manager | |
| Average salary | $31,954 | $41,412 |
| Salary range | Between $17,000 And $57,000 | Between $30,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Salem, VA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | ||
| Best paying industry | Retail | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a sales lead/sales associate and a sales associate/manager in terms of educational background:
| Sales Lead/Sales Associate | Sales Associate/Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi |
Here are the differences between sales lead/sales associates' and sales associate/managers' demographics:
| Sales Lead/Sales Associate | Sales Associate/Manager | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.3% Female, 64.7% | Male, 44.2% Female, 55.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 6.9% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |