Shift supervisor vs department supervisor

The differences between shift supervisors and department supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a shift supervisor and a department supervisor. Additionally, a department supervisor has an average salary of $47,300, which is higher than the $34,141 average annual salary of a shift supervisor.

The top three skills for a shift supervisor include cash handling, store operations and store management. The most important skills for a department supervisor are store management, product knowledge, and plumbing.

Shift supervisor vs department supervisor overview

	Shift Supervisor	Department Supervisor
Yearly salary	$34,141	$47,300
Hourly rate	$16.41	$22.74
Growth rate	10%	6%
Number of jobs	282,079	216,893
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	6	6

What does a shift supervisor do?

Shift supervisors are responsible for the employees assigned to the shift that they are handling. Shift supervisors ensure that the employees who were expected to report to work at the specific shift came in. They also ensure that the employees are doing their jobs while at work. Shift supervisors are expected to ensure that employees are really working during working hours and properly delegate work. Shift supervisors ensure that the employees are productive and efficient in their jobs. They are expected to provide coaching and guidance so that the employees will be able to reach the goals assigned to the work team.

What does a department supervisor do?

A department supervisor's role is to oversee and ensure a business operation's efficiency in a particular area. Acting as a leader, it is their responsibility to develop strategies on meeting goals within a timeline and ensure that the workforce is functioning effectively in a harmonious environment. Furthermore, a department supervisor is in charge of setting goals such as budget and results, evaluating employees' performances and activities, training new members of the workforce, handling and resolving issues, and enforcing the company's policies and regulations.

Shift supervisor vs department supervisor salary

Shift supervisors and department supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Shift Supervisor	Department Supervisor
Average salary	$34,141	$47,300
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $44,000	Between $33,000 And $66,000
Highest paying City	San Jose, CA	Lakewood, NJ
Highest paying state	Hawaii	New Jersey
Best paying company	AbbVie	Club
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Finance

Differences between shift supervisor and department supervisor education

There are a few differences between a shift supervisor and a department supervisor in terms of educational background:

	Shift Supervisor	Department Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Shift supervisor vs department supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between shift supervisors' and department supervisors' demographics:

	Shift Supervisor	Department Supervisor
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 49.1% Female, 50.9%	Male, 57.9% Female, 42.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 6.9% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 6.8% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between shift supervisor and department supervisor duties and responsibilities

Shift supervisor example responsibilities.

Content include math skills, how to manage a monthly budget, job searches, and managing a home.
Manage a team of energy consultants in daily production, SPH (sales per hr.
Evaluate daily job objectives and utilize knowledge of math, physics, and engineering to achieve the desired results.
Manage a part-time managerial shift supervisor position that require daily bookkeeping in POS system.
Prepare overall security plans and manage security operations of organization, including assignments, staffing and payroll.
Carry out administrative functions including tracking ordering and managing inventory, and support the manager in monitoring store security and cleanliness.

Department supervisor example responsibilities.

Achieve a high degree of customer relations, in-stock, and store appearance.
Manage geotechnical aspects of an EIR/EIS for a coastal development in an environmentally sensitive lagoon.
Maintain an ISO certify department.
Home depot sales associate , 2/2012 to7/1012
Obtain good working knowledge of EDI.
Assist customers, complete callbacks and diamond counts

Shift supervisor vs department supervisor skills

Common shift supervisor skills

Cash Handling, 19%
Store Operations, 9%
Store Management, 9%
Loss Prevention, 7%
Food Products, 7%
Cash Flow, 5%

Common department supervisor skills

Store Management, 21%
Product Knowledge, 19%
Plumbing, 18%
Math, 8%
Customer Satisfaction, 6%
Store Sales, 6%

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Shift Supervisor vs Department Supervisor

Updated January 8, 2025

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