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The differences between sales leaders 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 leader and a sales associate/manager. Additionally, a sales leader has an average salary of $68,699, which is higher than the $41,412 average annual salary of a sales associate/manager.
The top three skills for a sales leader include product knowledge, customer service and sales floor. The most important skills for a sales associate/manager are customer service, sales floor, and strong customer service.
| Sales Leader | Sales Associate/Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $68,699 | $41,412 |
| Hourly rate | $33.03 | $19.91 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 458,558 | 318,977 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Sales Leader's responsibility is more than just leading. Most of the tasks involve monitoring the progress of sales, creating strategies to attain financial gains, managing the workforce, and as well as suggesting and enforcing particular options that would be beneficial for the sales and the company. All while making sure that all actions adhere to the policies and standards of the company. Above all, a Sale's Leader must have the passion and determination to drive a team towards the company's goal.
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 leaders and sales associate/managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Sales Leader | Sales Associate/Manager | |
| Average salary | $68,699 | $41,412 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $139,000 | Between $30,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Salem, VA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | ZS | |
| Best paying industry | - | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a sales leader and a sales associate/manager in terms of educational background:
| Sales Leader | Sales Associate/Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | 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 leaders' and sales associate/managers' demographics:
| Sales Leader | Sales Associate/Manager | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 40.7% Female, 59.3% | Male, 44.2% Female, 55.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 6.9% White, 61.6% 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% |