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The differences between unit managers and area 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 unit manager and an area manager. Additionally, an area manager has an average salary of $73,472, which is higher than the $60,561 average annual salary of a unit manager.
The top three skills for a unit manager include quality care, patients and federal regulations. The most important skills for an area manager are customer service, safety standards, and logistics.
| Unit Manager | Area Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $60,561 | $73,472 |
| Hourly rate | $29.12 | $35.32 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 366,932 | 341,983 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Unit managers are responsible for managing the nursing unit. They primarily supervise the daily care of patients and ensure quality patient care. Usually, they perform tasks like evaluating staff performance, conducting orientation for new staff, and training new members. Also, they manage schedules, minimize expenditures, and enforce health as well as safety regulations. Unit managers are registered nursing professionals with an undergraduate or graduate degree. They are honest, adaptable, and analytical professionals with strong management and leadership skills and relevant experience in nursing and patient assessment.
An Area Manager's responsibility is to oversee the business operations of all company branches within a particular area. Among the tasks involve creating strategies to achieve the sales target, monitoring and evaluating the performance and progress of stores including their workforce, adhering to the budget and regulations of the company, and focus on attaining the image and financial goals. Moreover, an Area Manager must communicate and coordinate with fellow managers and hire employees that would be a vital member of the company.
Unit managers and area managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Unit Manager | Area Manager | |
| Average salary | $60,561 | $73,472 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $96,000 | Between $50,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New York |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Clifford Chance |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a unit manager and an area manager in terms of educational background:
| Unit Manager | Area Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between unit managers' and area managers' demographics:
| Unit Manager | Area Manager | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.4% Female, 57.6% | Male, 69.1% Female, 30.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |