Career comparison
General and Operations Manager vs. Office Manager
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
General and operations managers earn more at the median ($105,770 vs. $69,500), while office managers usually get to work faster (3–5 years of administrative experience of training). General and operations managers keep a business running day to day, from staff and budgets to results. Office managers run an office’s daily operations, staff and systems so everyone else can do their jobs.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| General and Operations Manager | Office Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $105,770 ($50.85/hr) | $69,500 ($33.41/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $50,090 – $253,390 | $45,610 – $104,710 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +5.0% (faster than average) | +0.1% (little or no change) |
| Openings per year | 285,000 | 127,400 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training time | 5+ years of experience | 3–5 years of administrative experience |
| Key credential | Lean Six Sigma | Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) |
| Work setting | Managers work in offices and on the floor of stores, plants, warehouses or service sites.. | Office managers work in offices of every kind, from medical practices and law firms to construction companies and nonprofits. |
What each job does
General and Operations Manager
- Manage daily operations
- Supervise staff and managers
- Set and track budgets
- Improve processes
- Track performance metrics
Office Manager
- Supervise administrative and front office staff
- Manage office budgets and expenses
- Negotiate with and manage vendors
- Order supplies and manage inventory
- Coordinate facilities, maintenance and IT support
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with people, high responsibility, problem-solving, and teamwork. Both are part of the business & office field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose general and operations manager if…
- I like running things
- I solve problems fast
- I like numbers
Choose office manager if…
- I like making things run smoothly
- I’m comfortable leading people
- I can handle constant interruptions
Still torn? Take the General and Operations Manager fit quiz and the Office Manager fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, general and operations manager or office manager?
General and Operations Managers earn more at the median: $105,770 versus $69,500 for office managers, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Office Managers typically train faster (3–5 years of administrative experience) than general and operations managers (5+ years of experience).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects general and operations managers to grow +5.0% from 2025–35, compared with +0.1% for office managers.