What Does the Average Assistant Manager of a Grocery Store Make?

by Rick Suttle Google

Grocery stores would not run efficiently without assistant grocery store managers, who train and supervise department managers, oversee the ordering and merchandising of inventory, and help store managers control expenses and meet revenue goals. These professionals must be flexible in working day or night schedules so they can oversee store operations from all perspectives. They typically earn annual salaries exceeding $50,000 per year.

Salary and Qualifications

The average salary for an assistant grocery store manager was $53,000 as of 2013, according to the job site Indeed. These professionals usually have at least high school educations, but some might require bachelor's degrees, depending on the store chain. It also behooves an assistant store manager to obtain a bachelor's degree in business, retailing, marketing, or a related field, so he can eventually be promoted to store manager. Interpersonal and customer service skills and physical stamina are also required traits.

Regional Salaries

Salaries for assistant grocery stores can vary by region. They earned between $47,000 and $63,000 per year in the northeast region, with lows in Pennsylvania and highs in New York. Those in the west region earned lows of $38,000 in Hawaii and highs of $59,000 in California. In the south region, these professionals earned from $45,000 to $62,000 per year, respectively, in Louisiana and Mississippi. And those in the midwest region earned $42,000 in South Dakota and $56,000 in Illinois, which represented the low and high salaries in that part of the country.

Contributing Factors

Several key factors contribute to the salaries of assistant grocery store managers. Those with more experience usually earn higher salaries, as merit increases alone can increase incomes – if they remain with the same grocery store. Salaries are higher in certain states or geographical areas – such as the east and west coasts – because of higher living costs. For example, in the east and west regions, assistant grocery store managers earned the highest salaries in New York and California, which are typically more expensive cities. Also, a large grocery chain will likely have a larger budget to pay these professionals higher salaries.

Career Outlook

Jobs for first-line supervisors of retail employees, including assistant grocery store managers, are expected to increase eight percent through 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is slower than the 14 percent growth rate for all occupations. These professionals might find the majority of jobs in areas experiencing high population growth, or in larger cities. The fastest growing states as of December 2011 were Texas, California, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina, according to the United States Census Bureau.

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