State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
General and Operations Manager Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for General and Operations Managers is $105,770 a year ($50.85/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 4.4% through 2034, with about 308,700 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
SOC 11-1021ManagementLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $105,770
- Projected growth
- +4.4%
- Openings a year
- 308,700
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Business Manager, Center Manager, Department Manager, District Manager, General Manager (GM), Operations Director.
How much do General and Operations Managers make?
10th percentile$50,090
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$72,320
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$105,770
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$167,280
Upper quartile
90th percentile$253,390
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $105,770 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $50.85/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $134,940 |
| People employed | 3,503,020 |
Versus all US occupations
At $105,770, General and Operations Managers earn 107% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $54,790 a year.
Versus management occupations
Inside the Management group, where the middle occupation pays $126,060, this is 16% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $253,390 or more while the bottom 10% earn $50,090, a gap of 5.1×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 83% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New Jersey pays the most at $173,690, and still leads at $159,634 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay General and Operations Managers the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $173,690 | $159,634 | 53,000 |
| District of Columbia | $168,000 | $152,865 | 36,150 |
| South Dakota | $137,400 | $155,104 | 4,280 |
| Connecticut | $137,220 | $132,439 | 39,070 |
| Delaware | $137,220 | $137,484 | 5,000 |
| Washington | $133,750 | $124,985 | 50,630 |
| Colorado | $131,840 | $127,935 | 41,870 |
| New York | $130,860 | $121,255 | 206,740 |
| Massachusetts | $127,220 | $120,295 | 95,880 |
| New Hampshire | $124,680 | $119,695 | 22,110 |
Is General and Operations Manager a growing career?
General and Operations Managers4.4%
All US occupations3.1%
+4.4% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of General and Operations Managers to change 4.4% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 164,000 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 308,700 openings are projected each year, 8.3% of the 3,712,900 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of top executives is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Demand for general and operations managers is projected to grow as organizations increasingly rely on these workers for help in functioning smoothly.
Chief executives will be needed in organizations to govern and make high-level decisions. For example, they will be needed in corporate settings to oversee and manage strategy, budgets, and their respective departments, such as finance or information technology (IT).
How to become a General and Operations Manager
Top executives typically need at least a bachelor’s degree and considerable work experience to enter the occupation.
| Typical entry-level education | Bachelor's degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Medium preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | 5 years or more |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as general and operations managers.
- High School Diploma28.8%
- Bachelor's Degree27.3%
- Some College Courses21.6%
- Less than a High School Diploma10.4%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)6.0%
What does a General and Operations Manager do?
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.
Top executives plan strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. They coordinate and direct work activities of companies and organizations.
Day-to-day tasks
- 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.
- 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.
- Prepare staff work schedules and assign specific duties.
- Direct administrative activities directly related to making products or providing services.
- Direct or coordinate financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.
- Direct and coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with the production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products.
- Monitor suppliers to ensure that they efficiently and effectively provide needed goods or services within budgetary limits.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Where general and operations managers work
| Self-employed workers | 26% |
|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 13% |
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | 9% |
| Healthcare and social assistance | 6% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 5% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Active Listening4.0/5
- Speaking4.0/5
- Monitoring4.0/5
- Critical Thinking3.9/5
- Active Learning3.6/5
- Writing3.5/5
- Learning Strategies3.0/5
Transferable skills
- Coordination3.9/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.8/5
- Management of Personnel Resources3.8/5
- Persuasion3.6/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.6/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.6/5
- Time Management3.6/5
- Negotiation3.5/5
Tools and software
- Accounting software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Business intelligence and data analysis software · in demand
- Cloud-based data access and sharing software · in demand
- Cloud-based management software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Configuration management software · in demand
- Content workflow software · in demand
- Customer relationship management CRM software · in demand
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Data mining software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a General and Operations Manager?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realistic2.2
Investigative2.4
Artistic1.3
Socialprimary3.4
Enterprisingprimary7.0
Conventionalprimary5.3
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
General and Operations Manager: frequently asked questions
How much do General and Operations Managers make?
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.
Do you need a degree to become a General and Operations Manager?
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 medium 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.
Is General and Operations Manager a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4.4% over 2024–2034, faster than the 3.1% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 308,700 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a General and Operations Manager do?
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.
Which states pay General and Operations Managers the most?
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).
What personality type suits a General and Operations Manager?
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 923 occupations in the bank.