An office manager has a long list of duties and responsibilities to ensure the office is successful and runs smoothly. So, how much does an office manager make for such a critical role in a business? The short answer is that the average office manager salary greatly varies based on many factors.
Office managers’ yearly salary depends on their experience, education, skills, employer, and geographic location. In this article, we’ll go over the average salary of an office manager at various levels and the expectations of the role.
Office managers typically make much less than ones with years of experience. The average total compensation of an office manager is $53,330 per year plus benefits. Below an office manager‘s average base salary is broken down by seniority level.
– Top office managers make an average of $88,640 per year or $42.62 per hour.
– Senior-level office managers make an average of $68,520 per year or $32.94 per hour.
– Mid-level office managers make an average of $54,330 per year or $26.12 per hour.
– Junior-level office managers make an average of $41,630 per year or $20.02 per hour.
– Entry-level office managers make an average of $33,620 per year or $16.16 per hour.
– Experience
– Skills
– Education
– Employer
– Geographic location
An individual with years of experience as an office manager understands what it takes to ensure the office runs smoothly. They provide a higher level of support to the business and the office staff to maximize productivity and ensure efficiency.
Experience is the biggest factor in how much an office manager makes. A company leader knows a highly experienced office manager is extremely valuable, so they are willing to offer a higher salary to attract and retain top professionals.
Many businesses looking to hire an office manager require candidates to have three years of experience in an office manager role or similar position. Executive or administrative assistants have many duties and responsibilities as office managers, so companies often accept experience in one of those roles.
Top office managers have various soft and hard skills to help them get the job done successfully. The more skills an individual has, the more valuable they are to a company. Business leaders look for specific skills in office manager candidates to ensure they have what it takes to run their office effectively. An office manager’s salary is based on their expertise and skills.
Many companies only require their office manager to have a high school diploma but prefer an individual with a Bachelor’s degree or higher learning certificates. An individual who has completed higher learning courses demands increased pay since they bring advanced knowledge to better help a business.
In general, the higher the expectations and the more duties and responsibilities of an office manager, the higher their pay. For instance, an office manager makes more when employed by a large organization that requires a long list of duties and responsibilities from the individual, including overseeing a lot of employees.
So, the employer determines how much their office manager makes based on their workload. Also, extremely profitable companies often offer higher pay to their office manager for contributing to their success.
For every $1,000 more in pay, the cost of living is around one percentage point higher. For example, an office manager makes more in New York City than in Buffalo, NY, since living costs are much higher. So, when determining an office manager’s salary, you must factor in the geographic location of the position.
Some companies offer their office manager’s a bonus or incentives, especially when their duties include revenue-producing tasks, such as generating client upgrades or handling marketing functions. Around 44% of office managers reported not receiving any bonus, and 56% stated they had received a bonus or incentives. Bonuses received range from 3% to 6% of their salary.
Some companies offer individual performance-based bonuses to their office managers when goals are reached. Other organizations provide bonuses based on the company’s overall performance.
Top office managers with years of experience and expert-level skills receive bonuses more often than entry-level managers. The reason is that the company can justify the expense of additional compensation for an office manager that directly adds to the business’s success and helps increase revenue. Entry-level managers often handle more of the administrative duties and oversee lower-level employees that don’t impact the revenue as much.
An individual looking to get hired in an office manager position at a higher salary should consider advancing their level of expertise and skills. There are a variety of online courses that take a short time to complete and bring a lot of value to an office manager role. Once completed, an individual can add these certifications to their resume to become more in-demand when seeking a job as an office manager.
Many professionals have relocated to other areas where the average pay is higher to make more as an office manager. However, they must consider the increased cost of living to determine if it justifies relocating for the increased salary.
Other office managers stay in their position long-term to prove their value and request pay raises for the company to retain them. On average, office managers make an additional 10% every 19 months. Some office managers get promoted to executive positions, which increases their pay significantly.
As long as there are businesses, there will always be a need for office managers. Over 158,000 people are working as office managers today. The office manager role is expected to grow around 9 percent over the next ten years.
The first part of an office manager job description will provide details of the hiring company to peak interest in candidates. It often gives information on what a company offers its employees to separate them from competing job postings. The job description will include what the company is looking for in a candidate and provide details of the position, such as hours, benefits, and expectations.
Office Manager Responsibilities:
– Supports day-to-day operations by following office processes and maintaining systems
– Supervise office staff, including coaching, monitoring work, and disciplining
– Maintain office productivity and efficiency by implementing and monitoring policies and procedures
– Manage correspondence from customers and vendors via email, phone, and in-person
– Complete weekly employee schedules
– Delegate work to office staff
– Maintain office equipment
– Order office supplies and manage inventory
– Maintain office organization
– Provide management with accurate statistics by reviewing and analyzing reports, including historical trends
– Achieve financial objectives by tracking budgets and maintaining expenditure reports
– Assign and monitor all clerical office functions
– Perform HR duties such as recruiting, interviewing, candidate selection, and onboarding new hires
Office Manager Skills:
– Excellent communication skills
– Effective leadership skills
– Attention to detail
– Ability to multitask
– Time management skills
– Reporting skills
– Proficient in office software
– Excellent problem-solving abilities
Office Manager Requirements:
– High school diploma or equivalent
– At least three years of experience in an office manager position or similar role
If you want to get into an office manager position, you will want to take some crucial steps to prepare. You want to look at your resume and update it with any relevant information or other experience received. Pay especially close to keywords in the office manager job description and include them in your resume.
Once your resume is updated and free of errors, the next step is to find and apply to open office manager positions. If needed, brush up on your skills to ensure you are ready to excel in the office manager role. You will also want to prepare for the interview to ensure you land the job you want.
An office manager makes an average of $53,330 annually, but their pay varies based on several factors, including experience, skills, education, employer, and geographic location. Entry-level office managers make an average of $33,620, while top office managers make $88,640 per year.
Highly skilled office managers are more valuable to a business, so companies offer higher salaries to attract and retain expert talent. Many lower-level professionals further their education to advance their knowledge and gain new skills to increase their value and pay as office managers.
Sources:
Earn a Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification
Administrative Services and Facilities Managers : Occupational Outlook Handbook | BLS