What Is the Typical Operations Manager Salary?

To succeed, businesses need to balance big-picture strategy with day-to-day operations. To help oversee everyday functions, many enterprises hire operations managers, whose role involves supervising the employee life cycle, optimizing efficiency, and ensuring that company policies are implemented to maximum effect. These professionals can play an essential role in helping teams work at peak capacity and may also handle tasks such as production, quality control, inventory management, and resource allocation.

Individuals who are interested in this role and have the right background in organizational leadership may have questions about the job, such as typical responsibilities and the median operations manager salary. Take a moment to learn more about this important position and what it looks like to pursue a career in operations management.

What Does an Operations Manager Do?

Operations managers often work with the human resources department to oversee high-level, mission-critical duties, such as hiring staff members and creating standards for employee training. They also take on tasks related to the daily administration of the business, such as overseeing inventory cycles or collaborating with the finance team to ensure that the business is on track to meet organizational goals.

Through these and other activities, operations managers are charged with boosting an organization’s overall levels of productivity, efficiency, and quality.

Operations Manager Job Description

While specific duties and responsibilities vary from one position to the next, the typical job description for operations managers usually includes the following:

• Monitoring personnel documentation to ensure regulatory compliance
• Communicating with staff members to increase engagement and employee morale
• Managing and auditing budgets and strategic plans, particularly those pertaining to personnel or recruitment
• Making strategy decisions and advising executives and other key stakeholders on personnel matters

Where Do Operations Managers Work?

Operations managers are typically employed by midsize or large enterprises, including business organizations spanning virtually every industry. They work in office environments and typically have a support staff to assist them.

What Is the Average Operations Manager Salary?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for general and operations managers was $101,280 in 2023. Many other factors can affect the operations manager salary, including years of experience, level of education, job location, and hiring organization’s size.

What Is the Job Outlook for Operations Managers?

The BLS doesn’t have outlook information specifically for operations managers. However, it projects that positions for top executives, including operations managers, will grow by 6% between 2023 and 2033. This is faster than the average for all professions, signaling a range of opportunities for those seeking operations manager positions.

What Are the Steps for Becoming an Operations Manager?

Aspiring operations managers should pursue the right educational background and professional experience and cultivate a particular set of skills and core competencies. Although no single path to a career in operations management exists, below are some common milestones that successful candidates achieve.

Education

Operations manager positions require a minimum of a four-year undergraduate degree, preferably in business administration or another business-related field. This education provides the foundational skills needed for maximum impact on the job.
Though not always required, a graduate degree in organizational leadership or a similar field can provide more advanced skills and can lead to a higher operations manager salary.

Experience

Operations manager isn’t an entry-level role. Rising to this senior position requires years of work in a relevant position, particularly roles in human resources, finance, or administration. The exact amount of experience required can vary from one employer to the next.

Skills Formation

Through this combination of education and professional experience, aspiring operations managers can foster a useful set of skills. The competencies most closely associated with success in this field include the following:

• Communication
• Interpersonal
• Leadership
• Analytic thinking
• Organization and time management

These skills, combined with a working knowledge of business operations and compliance laws, can be invaluable for success in the role.

Pursue a Career in Operations Management

Operations managers can be crucial to the success of any large enterprise, helping employees perform their duties at an optimal level while also ensuring that the organization is productive and meets its big-picture financial goals. If you’re drawn to this position and you’re interested in a competitive operations manager salary, an advanced education can make you a more appealing candidate.

Claremont Lincoln University’s online Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership (MOL) equips students with a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical skills, preparing them to become the leaders of tomorrow whatever their industry and whatever their role. The program offers industry-specific concentrations, including human resources, healthcare, and management, that can help students tailor their education to their career goals.

Find out how our program can help you take charge of your career in operations management.

Claremont Lincoln University is a non-profit university offering affordable online degrees, graduate certificates, and professional development programs. Through a socially conscious education framework, CLU’s mission is to create a new leadership ecosystem through its proprietary Claremont Core®, a distinctive model that encompasses the knowledge needed to become an effective leader of positive change in the workplace or community. CLU is regionally accredited by the highly regarded WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), which ensures institutions meet strict standards and fulfill their missions to serve their students and the public good. Degree programs at CLU focus on healthcare administration, human resources, organizational leadership, management, professional studies, public administration, social impact, and sustainability leadership.

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