General and Operations Managers
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.
Also called: Area Manager, Boards and Commissions Director, Business Coordinator, Business Manager, Center Manager, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)
Median pay
$105,770
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$50,090 – $253,390
People employed
3,503,020
Holland code
ECS
Enterprising · Conventional · Social
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 2.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 3.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 4.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
General and Operations Managers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What general and operations managers do
- 01Review 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.
- 02Direct and coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with the production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products.
- 03Manage the movement of goods into and out of production facilities to ensure efficiency, effectiveness, or sustainability of operations.
- 04Direct administrative activities directly related to making products or providing services.
- 05Set prices or credit terms for goods or services, based on forecasts of customer demand.
- 06Prepare staff work schedules and assign specific duties.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Production and Processing
- Mathematics
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Achievement Orientation
- Self-Control
- Adaptability
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years.
- On-the-job training: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from general and operations managers
- Project Management Specialists90% · −3%
- Administrative Services Managers90% · +8%
- First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers90% · −17%
- Information Technology Project Managers89% · group pay
- Sales Managers89% · +40%
Change into general and operations managers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers91% · $107,230
- Project Management Specialists90% · $102,320
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers90% · $69,990
- Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling89% · $79,520
- Information Technology Project Managers89% · $116,580
Majors that lead here
- Veterinary Office Management/Administration
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, General
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, Other
- Public Administration
- Business/Commerce, General
- Business Administration and Management, General
- Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management
- Retail Management
- Risk Management
- Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Finance, General
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.