City Manager vs Mayor – What’s the Difference?

Infographic Transcript

Though the two positions may seem similar at first glance, the day-to-day responsibilities vary greatly between these two jobs. Do you see yourself working in local government someday? If so, it’s important to understand the differences between these two high-power positions and the qualifications required for each.

City Manager

City managers, also referred to as the chief executive officer (CEO) or chief administrative officer (CAO), are appointed by the city council. Cities that appoint a manager expect them to take care of daily administrative tasks.

Basic responsibilities

• Supervising day-to-day operations of city staff and departments, like fire and police, parks and recreation and public works.
• Overseeing hiring and firing of city employees
• Preparing and monitoring the city budget
• Handling public relations for the city
• Attending, moderating and running city council meetings (but not voting)

$106,408

• Average salary across the U.S. for city managers.¹

Educational requirements

• Master’s Degree in Public Administration.²

Mayor

Nearly all large U.S. cities have a mayoral system in place. ³ In this system, the mayor represents both the government and the community as a whole. Unlike city managers, mayors are directly elected by voters.

Basic responsibilities

• Presiding over city council
• Signing proclamations for the city
• Making ceremonial appearances
• Voting as a council member (without veto power)
• Implementing legislation passed by the council
• Appointing and removing department heads within city organizations

$62,000

• Average mayoral salary across the U.S.⁴

Education requirements:

• Master’s Degree in Public Administration
  • These requirements vary greatly by city. Some towns only require a high school diploma, but the vast majority of cities want a mayor with an advanced degree.⁵

Master of Public Administration

• Both jobs benefit from having an MPA
• Two years: the average time it takes to earn an MPA
• Disciplines included in an MPA degree:
  • Economics
  • Sociology
  • Law
  • Political science
  • Budgeting & finance
  • Community relations

SOURCES

^[1] www.nlc.org

² www.govtjobs.com

³ www.citymayors.com

⁴ www.careertrend.com

⁵ www.villanovau.com