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The differences between site managers and site leaders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a site manager, becoming a site leader takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a site leader has an average salary of $64,886, which is higher than the $59,192 average annual salary of a site manager.
The top three skills for a site manager include customer service, safety procedures and oversight. The most important skills for a site leader are customer service, project management, and logistics.
| Site Manager | Site Leader | |
| Yearly salary | $59,192 | $64,886 |
| Hourly rate | $28.46 | $31.20 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 47,853 | 56,932 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 46 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 4 |
The tasks of a Site Manager may vary, but the responsibility will always revolve around supervising the construction project and its employees, making sure that the project is completed within the allotted time, budget, and quality. Site Managers are required to have great communication and leadership skills as they are often the ones to engage with the clients and coordinate with the employees. Moreover, It is also the Site Manager's responsibility to ensure the safety of employees, prepare site reports, conduct quality control procedures, assess and solve problems, negotiate contracts, and secure permits needed for the project.
A site leader is responsible for managing the staff's performance, ensuring the smooth delivery of daily operations, and guiding the successful project completion by maximizing the staff's productivity within the specified timeframe and budget goals. Site leaders work closely with the clients, together with the site manager, to identify their specifications and requirements, as well as providing progress updates and suggesting design adjustments as needed. A site leader also performs safety inspections, making sure that all the staff follows the required operational procedures and regulations to prevent hazards and delays in project deliverables.
Site managers and site leaders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Site Manager | Site Leader | |
| Average salary | $59,192 | $64,886 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $109,000 | Between $31,000 And $134,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | Mississippi |
| Best paying company | Meta | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a site manager and a site leader in terms of educational background:
| Site Manager | Site Leader | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between site managers' and site leaders' demographics:
| Site Manager | Site Leader | |
| Average age | 46 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.4% Female, 36.6% | Male, 65.6% Female, 34.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 2.8% White, 71.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 8% |