General and Operations Manager Salary (2026), outlook and how to become one

General and Operations Managers earn a median of $105,770 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 107% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $50.85/hr. The middle half earn between $72,320 and $167,280. The top 10% earn $253,390 or more.

The median hourly wage for general and operations managers is $50.85 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). On a full-year basis the $105,770 annual median works out to about $8,810 a month before tax.

BLS does not publish a starting salary. The nearest measure is the low end of the pay range: the lowest-paid 10% of general and operations managers earn less than $50,090 a year and the bottom quarter less than $72,320 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). New workers often start near that end, but where a particular job starts depends on the employer, the state and the credentials you bring, so read these as the bottom of the range rather than a guaranteed entry wage.

Yes, more often than not. The median is $105,770, so more than half of general and operations managers earn over $100,000 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). In 30 states the median itself is above $100,000: New Jersey ($173,690), District of Columbia ($168,000), South Dakota ($137,400), Connecticut ($137,220), and 26 more.

The highest state medians for General and Operations Managers are New Jersey ($173,690), District of Columbia ($168,000), South Dakota ($137,400) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

BLS does not split general and operations managers' pay by specialty or employer, but its range shows how far the top end runs: the highest-paid 10% earn more than $253,390, against a median of $105,770 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Location moves pay the most in the published data: the best-paying states are New Jersey ($173,690), District of Columbia ($168,000), South Dakota ($137,400). Among the specialty careers inside this occupation, industry sources put typical pay at $257,500 for private club general managers (CMAA Compensation and Benefits Report 2024 (as summarized by club industry recruiters), 2024); $135,140 for city managers (ICMA CAO Salary and Compensation Survey (2019 edition), 2018). Those are not BLS figures.

Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for General and Operations Managers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as considerable preparation. Employers typically expect 5 years or more of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 28.8% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).

BLS does not publish a fixed length; it depends on the route. What it does publish: the typical way in for general and operations managers is a bachelor's degree, plus 5 years or more of work experience in a related occupation. O*NET classes the work as needing considerable preparation.

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.0% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 285,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.

Top executives plan strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. A core O*NET task: 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. Employers most often ask for Accounting software, Analytical or scientific software, Business intelligence and data analysis software.

Most work more than 40. In O*NET's survey of people in the job, 70% of general and operations managers usually work more than 40 hours a week, 30% work exactly 40 and 0% work fewer. 85% say their schedule is regular and 16% irregular. Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, Work Context.

O*NET scores General and Operations Managers highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Social interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESTJ, ESFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.

Women make up 34.4% of general and operations managers, against 47.1% of all employed people: more men than in the workforce as a whole. 21.7% are 55 or older, close to the 23.2% across all jobs. The median worker is 44.0 years old (all workers: 42.1). Source: BLS Current Population Survey, 2025 annual averages.