Store manager vs department manager

The differences between store managers and department 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 store manager and a department manager. Additionally, a department manager has an average salary of $67,160, which is higher than the $46,950 average annual salary of a store manager.

The top three skills for a store manager include store management, retail store and customer service. The most important skills for a department manager are inventory management, sales promotions, and cleanliness.

Store manager vs department manager overview

	Store Manager	Department Manager
Yearly salary	$46,950	$67,160
Hourly rate	$22.57	$32.29
Growth rate	6%	5%
Number of jobs	446,127	330,327
Job satisfaction	5	4
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Average age	44	43
Years of experience	6	6

What does a store manager do?

A store manager is responsible for monitoring the daily operations, making sure of its smooth and efficient performance with the best services provided to the customers. Store managers' duty also includes tracking the budget of the store to ensure that all expenses are meeting the sales goals. A store manager must also be able to plan and share strategies to boost sales performance and provide the needed support for the employees by communicating with them regularly, listening on suggestions, and taking necessary actions for complaints as required.

What does a department manager do?

Department managers oversee the operations of the department they are assigned to. They manage all aspects of the operation, including finance, sales, quality control, and human resources. They set department goals and the steps the team needs to take to ensure that the goals are met. Department managers are also in charge of training team members so that these team members will be able to work together harmoniously. They should also be able to keep the team's goal in sight and adjust their strategy as needed.

Store manager vs department manager salary

Store managers and department managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Store Manager	Department Manager
Average salary	$46,950	$67,160
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $73,000	Between $39,000 And $115,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Delaware	New Jersey
Best paying company	Meta	Ralph Lauren
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Manufacturing

Differences between store manager and department manager education

There are a few differences between a store manager and a department manager in terms of educational background:

	Store Manager	Department Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Store manager vs department manager demographics

Here are the differences between store managers' and department managers' demographics:

	Store Manager	Department Manager
Average age	44	43
Gender ratio	Male, 51.2% Female, 48.8%	Male, 51.8% Female, 48.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 6.3% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	10%	9%

Differences between store manager and department manager duties and responsibilities

Store manager example responsibilities.

Store achieve highest UPT in company for FY11.
Assist the DM and help to manage the district in her absence.
Manage the store's inventory with GNC guidelines; receiving, checking and shelving all merchandising orders.
Train and develop to manage multi-unit operations.
Create implementation plans to support execution of Starbucks initiatives to achieve both operational excellence and business results.
Develop and implement operational strategies utilizing less payroll expenses and allot hour usage to accomplish logistical and operational excellence.

Department manager example responsibilities.

Participate in company's ISO certification program, successfully achieving ISO [] and AS9100 certification.
Manage and delegate over lumber-building materials department including millwork department.
Manage electronics, wireless connection center, layaway and online order/pickup departments.
Develop schedules; manage payroll; multitask extensively to ensure competing requirements are complete.
Monitor and maximize sales and payroll by identifying sales opportunities and managing controllable expenses.
Manage geotechnical aspects of an EIR/EIS for a coastal development in an environmentally sensitive lagoon.

Store manager vs department manager skills

Common store manager skills

Store Management, 8%
Retail Store, 5%
Customer Service, 5%
PET, 5%
Loss Prevention, 5%
Sales Floor, 4%

Common department manager skills

Inventory Management, 38%
Sales Promotions, 17%
Cleanliness, 13%
Customer Service, 8%
Sales Floor, 3%
Product Knowledge, 2%

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Store Manager
Store Manager vs Department Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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