Explore entry-level management jobs across industries and learn the steps to get your first management job.
An entry-level management job is a leadership position for someone who has work experience in a particular field or industry, but has not yet worked as a manager. If you’re looking for your first management role, there are some things you’ll want to keep in mind during your job search:
Manager positions, even at the entry level, are available across industries, including technology, career services, real estate, construction, retail, health care, government, military, and higher education.
Some general duties and responsibilities of managers include training direct reports or other members of a team, enforcing an organization's policies, and motivating a team to achieve goals.
Becoming a manager, even at the entry level, may require a bachelor’s degree and/or several years of relevant work experience. According to Zippia, 49 percent of managers have bachelor’s degrees, while 18 percent have an associate degree, 17 percent have a high school diploma, and 7 percent have a master’s degree [1].
In addition, pursuing management positions can offer you a number of career benefits, including earning higher pay, having more influence on how an organization operates, being able to mentor others and contribute to their professional growth, and developing leadership skills.
Did you know? Managers at every level of seniority earn an average salary of $123,370 in the US, according to the May 2021 wage statistics report by US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) [2].
Continue reading to discover entry-level management jobs in 2022 and the steps to get your first management position.
In this section, you’ll explore 10 entry-level management jobs across industries with salaries above $58,260, the national average for all occupations. To anticipate what to expect in your job search, we’ve included the following information:
Average salary (base pay + additional pay such as cash bonuses, commission, tips, and profit sharing) for each of the 10 roles with less than 1 year of experience
Typical duties and qualifications
Top-paying companies hiring for these roles
*Details for each job title come from Glassdoor, Zippia, and Indeed, and reflect the professional landscape as of October 2022. Jobs are listed in descending order in terms of salary.
What they make: $92,016
What they do: develop business growth strategies, follow up with leads, research target markets, collaborate with marketing and sales teams to align on strategies
Qualifications they need: bachelor’s degree in business or related field, critical thinking and negotiation skills, business acumen, prior consulting experience
Top-paying companies hiring for this role: Meta, NetApp, NVIDIA, AWS, VMware
professional certificate
Launch your career in bookkeeping. Gain the professional skills you need to succeed in the bookkeeping field. No degree or prior experience required.
4.5
(3,276 ratings)
65,709 already enrolled
BEGINNER level
Average time: 4 month(s)
Learn at your own pace
Skills you'll build:
Double-Entry Bookkeeping System, Bookkeeping, Bank Reconciliations, Accounting Concepts and Measurement, Basis Of Accounting, accounting software, Accounting Cycle, Creating Financial Statements, Accounts receivable and cash receipts, Inventory costing methods, PP&E Accounting, Asset Accounting, Depreciation, Accounts Payable and Payroll, Owner’s Equity and Owner’s Draw, Accounting, Long-Term Liabilities and Note Payable, Accounting for Liabilities and Equity, Cash Flow, Bank Reconciliation, Financial reports analysis, financial statement analysis
What they make: $90,630
What they do: lead sales teams to reach targets, set quotas, implement team procedures, provide sales forecasts
Qualifications they need: bachelor’s degree in business or related field, experience using CRM systems, prior experience in sales, communication skills
Top-paying companies hiring for this role: NVIDIA, Meta, Cloudflare, Google, Adobe
professional certificate
Launch Your Career in Salesforce. Learn the foundational skills in Salesforce needed to start a new career.
4.7
(656 ratings)
22,774 already enrolled
BEGINNER level
Average time: 4 month(s)
Learn at your own pace
Skills you'll build:
CRM, Sales Operations, Salesforce Lightning, Sales, Salesforce, Salesforce Sales Cloud, Lead Management, Opportunity Management, Reports and Dashboards, Customer Success
What they make: $82,907
What they do: train members of the supply chain team, cultivate relationships with vendors, improve supply chain system, create databases to organize inventory
Qualifications they need: supply chain experience, understanding of supply chain processes, negotiating skills, experience using databases to manage supply chain information
Top-paying companies hiring for this role: Meta, Google, Apple, Cisco, Microsoft
specialization
Supply Chain Management. Master the Fundamentals: Logistics, Operations, Planning, Sourcing, and Strategy
4.8
(10,831 ratings)
139,884 already enrolled
BEGINNER level
Average time: 6 month(s)
Learn at your own pace
Skills you'll build:
Forecasting, Logistics, Supply Chain, Lean Six Sigma, Supply Chain Risk Management, Warehouse Management, Logistics Planning, Inventory, Six Sigma, Microsoft Excel, Planning, Demand Forecasting, Sourcing Best Practices, Strategic Sourcing, Supply Chain Sourcing, Supply Chain Strategy
What they make: $78,432
What they do: prevent workplace accidents, implement workplace safety procedures, inspect company equipment for safety, investigate accidents and incidents
Qualifications they need: bachelor’s degree in safety management or related field, certification in risk or health/safety management, knowledge of health and safety laws, communication skills
Top-paying companies hiring for this role: Meta, Republic Services, Amec Foster Wheeler, Amazon, FieldCore
What they make: $72,703
What they do: create a medical environment where patients get superior care, collaborate with health-care providers, stay current with health-care laws and procedures, supervise employees
Qualifications they need: bachelor’s degree in health services, business, nursing, or related field; understanding of business and health care, administrative and communication skills
Top-paying companies hiring for this role: Huron Consulting Group, DaVita, WellMed Medical Management, US Air Force, US Navy
specialization
Advance your career in health care management. Develop business skills and understand the American health care system to improve cost and quality.
4.6
(1,199 ratings)
15,172 already enrolled
BEGINNER level
Average time: 4 month(s)
Learn at your own pace
Skills you'll build:
Insurance, Health Economics
What they make: $70,504
What they do: determine project scope and objectives, monitor project progress, develop schedule plans, provide stakeholders with project updates
Qualifications they need: bachelor’s degree in business or related field, project management certification, experience bringing projects to completion within budget and on time
Top-paying companies hiring for this role: Meta, Brocade, Tencent, Google, Wish
professional certificate
Start your path to a career in project management. In this program, you’ll learn in-demand skills that will have you job-ready in less than six months. No degree or experience is required.
4.8
(72,170 ratings)
960,999 already enrolled
BEGINNER level
Average time: 6 month(s)
Learn at your own pace
Skills you'll build:
Organizational Culture, Career Development, Strategic Thinking, Change Management, Project Management, Stakeholder Management, Business Writing, Project Charter, Project Planning, Risk Management, Task Estimation, Procurement, Quality Management, Project Execution, Coaching, Influencing, Agile Management, Problem Solving, Scrum, Effective Communication
What they make: $68,708
What they do: organize sports teams, schedule team practices and schedule, secure team funding and endorsements, collaborate with coaches, maintain team budget
Qualifications they need: bachelor’s degree in sports management or related field; experience working with sports teams; knowledge of accounting; communication skills; marketing skills
Top-paying companies hiring for this role: Nike, Equinox, FOX Sports, Los Angeles Galaxy, The World Games 2022
What they make: $66,334
What they do: serve as a liaison between customers and a company, negotiate terms of a purchase agreement; monitor competitors and industry trends; assume responsibility for clients after the sales team closes a deal
Qualifications they need: bachelor’s degree in business or related field; experience in customer service or onboarding; experience in sales
Top-paying companies hiring for this role: Brocade, NVIDIA, NetApp, VMware, Sun Microsystems
What they make: $61,301
What they do: build relationships with customers, resolve customer complaints, collect client feedback, brainstorm ways to retain more customers,
Qualifications they need: bachelor’s degree in business or related field, leadership and negotiation skills, consulting experience
Top paying companies hiring for this role: Logicsoft, Paycom, HIREtech, Revolution Prep, Berkadia
What they make: $59,165
What they do: schedule and organize activities, oversee recreational staff, keep records of all events, create and enforce safety guidelines
Qualifications they need: bachelor’s degree in business, recreation management, or related field; event planning experience; CPR certification; knowledge of safety procedures
Top-paying companies hiring for this role: RPG; Comcast; City of Casper, WY; City of Henderson, NV; City of Chesapeake
Follow the steps below to begin your management career path.
While a degree may not be a requirement for every entry-level management position, it may offer you an advantage when applying for jobs. According to Zippia, the most common college majors for managers include business (31 percent), accounting (7 percent), psychology (6 percent), and criminal justice (5 percent), with the rest holding degrees in other disciplines [1].
Read more: What Is a Business Management Degree and What Can You Do With One?
As you work toward a degree, you might consider taking courses and certifications to build additional skills in management and in your area of interest. It’s a good idea to review job descriptions for positions you’d like to fill to find out what entry-level management skills employers desire. That way, you can prioritize which skills you’ll need to build first.
specialization
Leading Effectively. Learn proven management techniques in just four courses.
4.8
(5,766 ratings)
111,475 already enrolled
BEGINNER level
Average time: 5 month(s)
Learn at your own pace
Skills you'll build:
Vision Alignment, Talent Management, Goals and Rewards, Motivate Employees, Leadership, goal setting, Communication, Leadership Development, Onboarding, Coaching, Recruitment, Management, Social Skills, Influencer Marketing, Leadership Dynamics, Team Management, Team Building
Along with building skills, seek opportunities to gain relevant experience for your first management position. These can include:
Serving as a leader, even in a non-managerial role, by delivering presentations, teaching skills, or heading up projects
Taking on freelance projects for which you design the process and determine the outcomes
Filling an entry-level position in the industry or discipline in which you want to become a manager
When you’re ready to apply for entry-level management jobs, take some time to build and refine your job search materials. These might include enhancing your resume and adding management skills to it, as well as updating your LinkedIn profile.
Once you have your job search materials ready, begin applying for jobs. There are several ways to discover jobs that may be aligned with your career goals:
Searching the internet for industry-specific jobs using keywords like: entry-level project manager jobs, entry-level health-care management jobs, entry-level product manager jobs, entry-level sports management jobs, or supply chain management entry-level jobs
Searching general job sites for roles you are interested in, such as “account manager” or “recreation manager”
Searching job sites in your field or industry, such as the Project Management Institute’s job board or Supply Chain Careers
Read more: 11 Interviewing Skills to Benefit Your Career
Taking online courses can be a great way to build management skills, earn valuable credentials, and discover career opportunities. Explore these options:
course
Team leads, managers, and entrepreneurs must juggle team citizenship and leadership, ethics, strategy, and projects with their work in their area of ...
4.8
(79 ratings)
13,540 already enrolled
Average time: 1 month(s)
Learn at your own pace
Skills you'll build:
Coaching, strategy, Leadership And Management, Business Communication, Team Management
specialization
Leadership and Business Skill for Immediate Impact. Apply practical strategies to becoming an effective organizational leader.
4.8
(5,823 ratings)
93,686 already enrolled
BEGINNER level
Average time: 8 month(s)
Learn at your own pace
Skills you'll build:
Strategic Management, Negotiation, Leadership, Business Strategy, self-awareness, Ethical decision-making, Defining Leadership, Trust in relationships, Leadership Development, Develop team culture, Navigate growth and change in teams, Create space for DEIB, Facilitate psychological safety, Manage motivation and engagement, Organizational Structure, Knowledge of General Business Functions, Organization Design, Organizational Theory, Organizational Culture, Ethics, Decision-Making, Strategic Leadership, Organizational Change, Business Model, Strategic Thinking, Mergers And Acquisitions (M&A), Diversification, Global Strategy, Corporate Governance, Management
course
The aim of the course is to provide you with a comprehensive framework for understanding both the traditional principles of management inside companies ...
4.8
(3,318 ratings)
110,633 already enrolled
Average time: 1 month(s)
Learn at your own pace
Skills you'll build:
Management Theory, Strategic Management, Leadership, Management
course
The aim of this course is to give you a practical guide to managing people at work. It does not matter whether you are a first time manager in a shop or a ...
4.7
(3,254 ratings)
123,208 already enrolled
Average time: 1 month(s)
Learn at your own pace
Skills you'll build:
Decision-Making, Leadership, Management, Performance Management
Zippia. “Manager Education Requirements, https://www.zippia.com/manager-jobs/education/.” Accessed October 3, 2022.
Bureau of Labor Statistics. “May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates United States, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm.” Accessed October 5, 2022.
This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.