Section manager vs area manager

The differences between section managers and area 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 section manager and an area manager. Additionally, a section manager has an average salary of $95,857, which is higher than the $73,472 average annual salary of an area manager.

The top three skills for a section manager include career development, project management and DOD. The most important skills for an area manager are customer service, safety standards, and logistics.

Section manager vs area manager overview

	Section Manager	Area Manager
Yearly salary	$95,857	$73,472
Hourly rate	$46.09	$35.32
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	293,821	341,983
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	6	6

What does a section manager do?

A section manager is responsible for supervising the overall production processes and operations of an organization. Section managers ensure that their designated sections run accurately and efficiently while following the highest standard protocols and internal regulations. They also identify opportunities to maximize the staff's productivity and perform quality control procedures that would enhance the current processes and fix any inconsistencies. A section manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills to assist the staff and the business in achieving customer satisfaction.

What does an area manager do?

An Area Manager's responsibility is to oversee the business operations of all company branches within a particular area. Among the tasks involve creating strategies to achieve the sales target, monitoring and evaluating the performance and progress of stores including their workforce, adhering to the budget and regulations of the company, and focus on attaining the image and financial goals. Moreover, an Area Manager must communicate and coordinate with fellow managers and hire employees that would be a vital member of the company.

Section manager vs area manager salary

Section managers and area managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Section Manager	Area Manager
Average salary	$95,857	$73,472
Salary range	Between $63,000 And $145,000	Between $50,000 And $107,000
Highest paying City	Santa Rosa, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	New York
Best paying company	NVIDIA	Clifford Chance
Best paying industry	Technology	Technology

Differences between section manager and area manager education

There are a few differences between a section manager and an area manager in terms of educational background:

	Section Manager	Area Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Section manager vs area manager demographics

Here are the differences between section managers' and area managers' demographics:

	Section Manager	Area Manager
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 74.1% Female, 25.9%	Male, 69.1% Female, 30.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between section manager and area manager duties and responsibilities

Section manager example responsibilities.

Implement ISO quality procedures and lead internal audits
Coordinate and manage the security operations of combat convoys moving and transporting equipment to different locations across hostile areas.
Manage payroll distribution process ensuring timeliness, accuracy, and confidentiality to protect client's privacy and prevent liability of exposure.
Perform contract negotiations, vendor selection, product introduction, ISO quality adherence, cost reductions, and inventory balancing.
Perform ongoing research and analysis of internal business requirements and project logistics.
Plan and request signal logistics support for battalion level operations and maintenance.

Show more

Area manager example responsibilities.

Manage the recruitment, hiring, training and development of all depot distribution staff.
Used creativity and persistence to create new sales leads and run all provide leads.
Mark by achieving district s top shrink and performance (e.g., CPR) rates.
Manage Sortation area operations and escalate customer order fulfillment issues.
Manage operations in accordance with all regulatory (HSE) requirements and company procedures/guiding principles.
Implement and manage contracts for Medicaid while maintaining excellent relationships with key local agency executives.

Show more

Section manager vs area manager skills

Common section manager skills

Career Development, 9%
Project Management, 9%
DOD, 6%
Performance Reviews, 6%
Continuous Improvement, 5%
RF, 4%

Common area manager skills

Customer Service, 18%
Safety Standards, 10%
Logistics, 8%
Excellent Interpersonal, 5%
Business Plan, 4%
Continuous Improvement, 4%

Section Manager vs. similar jobs

Section Manager related careers

Section Manager related jobs

What similar roles do

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse executive management jobs

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z