General and Operations Managers: Career Overview
Plan, direct, or coordinate the operations of public or private sector organizations, overseeing multiple departments or locations. Duties and responsibilities include formulating policies, managing daily operations, and planning the use of materials and human resources, but are too diverse and general in nature to be classified in any one functional area of management or administration, such as personnel, purchasing, or administrative services. Usually manage through subordinate supervisors. Excludes First-Line Supervisors.
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What Tasks Do General and Operations Managers Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of general and operations managers include:
- Review financial statements, sales or activity reports, or other performance data to measure productivity or goal achievement or to identify areas needing cost reduction or program improvement.
- Direct and coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with the production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products.
- Direct administrative activities directly related to making products or providing services.
- Prepare staff work schedules and assign specific duties.
- Direct or coordinate financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.
- Plan or direct activities, such as sales promotions, that require coordination with other department managers.
- Perform personnel functions, such as selection, training, or evaluation.
- Establish or implement departmental policies, goals, objectives, or procedures in conjunction with board members, organization officials, or staff members.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful general and operations managers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Area Manager
- Boards and Commissions Director
- Business Coordinator
- Business Manager
- Center Manager
- Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)
- Corporate Manager
- Department Manager
Employment and Demand
There are about 167,026 general and operations managers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -2.2% over the projection horizon.
General and Operations Managers Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $149,694 |
| Hourly median | $71.97 |
| 10th percentile | $91,043 |
| 25th percentile | $120,368 |
| 75th percentile | $179,019 |
| 90th percentile | $208,345 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do General and Operations Managers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $167,270 |
| New Jersey | $149,990 |
| Delaware | $136,900 |
| South Dakota | $133,440 |
| Colorado | $130,340 |
| Washington | $130,240 |
| Connecticut | $130,230 |
| New York | $129,990 |
| California | $125,240 |
| Massachusetts | $123,850 |
| Rhode Island | $122,040 |
| Virginia | $121,530 |
| Alaska | $120,470 |
| Wisconsin | $113,170 |
| Indiana | $108,410 |
| New Hampshire | $107,060 |
| Alabama | $106,330 |
| Maryland | $105,320 |
| Hawaii | $105,160 |
| Tennessee | $102,850 |
| Louisiana | $102,060 |
| Illinois | $101,430 |
| Florida | $100,750 |
| Pennsylvania | $100,400 |
| Texas | $100,290 |
| New Mexico | $100,200 |
| Georgia | $99,800 |
| Michigan | $99,660 |
| South Carolina | $99,340 |
| North Carolina | $99,190 |
| Oregon | $98,580 |
| Maine | $96,740 |
| Minnesota | $96,130 |
| Nevada | $94,990 |
| Ohio | $94,990 |
| Wyoming | $94,900 |
| Vermont | $93,290 |
| North Dakota | $93,290 |
| Utah | $91,230 |
| Arizona | $90,000 |
| Mississippi | $88,290 |
| Kansas | $85,600 |
| Montana | $85,240 |
| Nebraska | $82,570 |
| Oklahoma | $80,620 |
| Iowa | $80,620 |
| West Virginia | $80,490 |
| Missouri | $77,410 |
| Virgin Islands | $77,400 |
| Kentucky | $77,150 |
| Idaho | $76,480 |
| Puerto Rico | $75,830 |
| Guam | $71,070 |
| Arkansas | $64,260 |
Where General and Operations Managers Earn the Most
Pay for general and operations managers differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $122,026 | 16.0% | 1.14 |
| New England | $120,407 | 5.7% | 1.20 |
| Far Western US | $119,857 | 12.5% | 0.77 |
| Great Lakes | $100,690 | 13.5% | 1.02 |
| Rocky Mountains | $99,905 | 3.8% | 1.06 |
| Southeast | $99,534 | 23.3% | 0.98 |
| Southwest | $97,153 | 17.2% | 1.37 |
| Plains States | $85,533 | 7.7% | 1.20 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for General and Operations Managers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $162,480 | 17,070 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | NJ | $160,460 | 3,390 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $152,090 | 42,330 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $151,420 | 108,510 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $149,260 | 187,400 |
| Boulder, CO | CO | $147,810 | 3,100 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $141,280 | 30,890 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | SD | $138,940 | 1,760 |
Top Industries Employing General and Operations Managers
Most general and operations managers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Trade | 452,460 | $74,120 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 439,080 | $149,090 |
| Construction | 275,980 | $105,260 |
| Wholesale Trade | 269,910 | $108,370 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 255,880 | $98,270 |
| Manufacturing | 252,710 | $128,030 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 223,260 | $87,900 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 221,240 | $63,460 |
Below are examples of industries where general and operations managers work:
Tech Stack
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Amazon Web Services AWS software (hot technology)
- Data base management system software: Apache Hadoop (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Apple macOS (hot technology)
- Project management software: Atlassian Confluence (hot technology)
- Content workflow software: Atlassian JIRA (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Enterprise application integration software: Extensible markup language XML (hot technology)
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Data mining software: Google Analytics (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for general and operations managers is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Frequency of Decision Making
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Telephone Conversations
Education and Training
Most general and operations managers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Facilities Managers (Primary-Short)
- Industrial Production Managers (Primary-Short)
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (Primary-Long)
- Construction Managers (Primary-Long)
- Project Management Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Management Analysts (Supplemental)
- Information Technology Project Managers (Primary-Long)
- Industrial Engineers (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Aspiring general and operations managers commonly pursue programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
11 programs across 6 majors
- Business Administration & Management
- Business & Commerce
- Finance & Financial Management
- Management Sciences & Methods
- Entrepreneurial Studies
- International Business
Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 11-1021.00 (General and Operations Managers).
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