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The differences between shop managers and dept 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 shop manager and a dept manager. Additionally, a dept manager has an average salary of $50,222, which is higher than the $36,580 average annual salary of a shop manager.
The top three skills for a shop manager include customer service, taking care and work ethic. The most important skills for a dept manager are customer service, sales floor, and pallet jack.
| Shop Manager | Dept Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $36,580 | $50,222 |
| Hourly rate | $17.59 | $24.15 |
| Growth rate | - | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 83,627 | 221,313 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
As the name entails, shop managers manage an establishment's day-to-day operations, ensuring it runs effectively and smoothly. Their responsibilities include making business strategies, developing promotional materials, and ensuring that sales teams are motivated. As the shop manager, you will also oversee the store's organizational and operational standards, undertake administrative tasks, and monitor inventory levels. The requirements to become a store manager include having a high school diploma, at least three years of work experience in the retail industry, and leadership skills.
A department manager is responsible for monitoring the operations of the assigned department, ensuring the maximum productivity and optimal performance of the staff. Department managers also coordinate with business partners, clients, and customers, as well as identifying business opportunities to drive more revenues and increase profitability. They handle department budgets and maintain the proper allocation of resources to support project management and deliverables. A department manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills, managing the staff's needs, and providing excellent support.
Shop managers and dept managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Shop Manager | Dept Manager | |
| Average salary | $36,580 | $50,222 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $52,000 | Between $28,000 And $87,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Bay Shore, NY |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Rivian | UPMC |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Retail |
There are a few differences between a shop manager and a dept manager in terms of educational background:
| Shop Manager | Dept Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| 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 shop managers' and dept managers' demographics:
| Shop Manager | Dept Manager | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.2% Female, 21.8% | Male, 52.5% Female, 47.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 6.9% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 6.7% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |