Shift supervisor vs retail supervisor

The differences between shift supervisors and retail 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 retail supervisor. Additionally, a retail supervisor has an average salary of $34,740, 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 retail supervisor are POS, cash handling, and product knowledge.

Shift supervisor vs retail supervisor overview

	Shift Supervisor	Retail Supervisor
Yearly salary	$34,141	$34,740
Hourly rate	$16.41	$16.70
Growth rate	10%	6%
Number of jobs	282,079	240,666
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
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 retail supervisor do?

The retail supervisor's main job responsibility is to oversee the work of retail staff in a physical store environment. They check and monitor employee activity, coordinate the receiving and shipping of merchandise, and assist customers in their purchases, ensuring smooth day-to-day overall operation. They work for any type of retail store, whether it is clothing, home goods, or an electronics store. In addition, they typically work in a mixed environment that consists of both an office and a sales floor.

Shift supervisor vs retail supervisor salary

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

	Shift Supervisor	Retail Supervisor
Average salary	$34,141	$34,740
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $44,000	Between $27,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	San Jose, CA	Peabody, MA
Highest paying state	Hawaii	Massachusetts
Best paying company	AbbVie	Live Nation Entertainment
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Hospitality

Differences between shift supervisor and retail supervisor education

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

	Shift Supervisor	Retail Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Shift supervisor vs retail supervisor demographics

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

	Shift Supervisor	Retail Supervisor
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 49.1% Female, 50.9%	Male, 41.0% Female, 59.0%
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, 8.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 6.9% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between shift supervisor and retail 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.

Retail supervisor example responsibilities.

Assist store leadership in effectively leading, managing and developing store and/or department operations and associates to maximize sales and profitability.
Prepare food and ensure cleanliness of work area as well as served as a retail sales associate in the gift shop.
Prepare receipts for food using cash registers, computers, calculators, POS systems and other acceptable payment methods.
Maintain restaurant cleanliness, and delegate restaurant duties as necessary.
Monitor and submit weekly payroll and expense reports with modifications when need.
Perform management operations flawlessly and economically schedule employees, while maintaining weekly payroll.

Shift supervisor vs retail 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 retail supervisor skills

POS, 8%
Cash Handling, 8%
Product Knowledge, 7%
Cleanliness, 6%
Sales Floor, 5%
Wine, 5%

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Shift Supervisor vs Retail Supervisor

Updated January 8, 2025

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