Store manager trainee vs department supervisor

The differences between store managers trainee 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 store manager trainee and a department supervisor. Additionally, a store manager trainee has an average salary of $67,389, which is higher than the $47,300 average annual salary of a department supervisor.

The top three skills for a store manager trainee include store management, training programs and human resources. The most important skills for a department supervisor are store management, product knowledge, and plumbing.

Store manager trainee vs department supervisor overview

	Store Manager Trainee	Department Supervisor
Yearly salary	$67,389	$47,300
Hourly rate	$32.40	$22.74
Growth rate	-	6%
Number of jobs	158,734	216,893
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	6	6

What does a store manager trainee do?

A store manager trainee is temporarily in charge of performing managerial support tasks while gaining practical experience as preparation for the job position. Their responsibilities include overseeing the daily store operations to learn every procedure, answering calls and correspondence, managing staff schedules, and developing strategies to increase sales and boost customer satisfaction. They must also respond to issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently. Moreover, as a store manager trainee, it is essential to understand and implement the store's policies and regulations.

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.

Store manager trainee vs department supervisor salary

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

	Store Manager Trainee	Department Supervisor
Average salary	$67,389	$47,300
Salary range	Between $51,000 And $88,000	Between $33,000 And $66,000
Highest paying City	Providence, RI	Lakewood, NJ
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	New Jersey
Best paying company	Walmart	Club
Best paying industry	Health Care	Finance

Differences between store manager trainee and department supervisor education

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

	Store Manager Trainee	Department Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Store manager trainee vs department supervisor demographics

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

	Store Manager Trainee	Department Supervisor
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 61.1% Female, 38.9%	Male, 57.9% Female, 42.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 7.3% White, 62.0% 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 store manager trainee and department supervisor duties and responsibilities

Store manager trainee example responsibilities.

Manage restaurant for cost, profitability, quality, service, cleanliness, and consistency.
Manage the office including A/R, A/P, balance checking accounts and are responsible for weekly payroll.
Monitor and manage inventory with excel and QuickBooks.
Perform daily deposits, sales reports, A/R and A/P.
Cash management POS opening and closing procedures.
Set up and run facebook page for the store.

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

Store manager trainee vs department supervisor skills

Common store manager trainee skills

Store Management, 14%
Training Programs, 11%
Human Resources, 9%
Inventory Management, 8%
Customer Service, 8%
Loss Prevention, 7%

Common department supervisor skills

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

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Store Manager Trainee
Store Manager Trainee vs Department Supervisor

Updated January 8, 2025

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