2024

What is the Average Change Manager Salary?

Change managers have become a staple in organizations looking to improve their operations and bottom line. A change manager is responsible for leading and coordinating an organization’s response to change, whether it be a change in the company’s structure, products, services, or anything else. It is one of the most demanding positions in an organization.

The average change manager salary ranges from $67,00 to 150,000, according to PayScale. The reason for this wide range of salaries is that the skills, experience, and expertise of a change manager can vary greatly. The position also requires different skill sets, depending on the organization’s needs. In this blog post, we’ll take a deep look into the change manager salaries and the factors that affect compensation.

Salaries Along The Change Management Career Path

There are a plethora of career opportunities in the change management field. Here are some popular positions for change managers and their average salaries:

Change Management Consultant: $111,671

A change management consultant is in high demand. As businesses strive to be agile and proactive in a constantly-changing world, they are looking for consultants who can help them manage and execute change. It generally requires a Master’s degree in business or a related field and three to seven years of experience working as a change manager. The average base salary for a change management consultant is $94,081 per year.

Change Management Analyst: $86,387

A change management analyst is responsible for supporting the change management process by gathering and analyzing data. They work with key stakeholders to identify the effects of change on the business and develop mitigation strategies. This post generally requires a Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field and two to five years of experience working in change management. The average base salary for a change management consultant is $69,499 per year. They also get cash compensation of $16,921.

Change Manager: $103,203

A change management manager is responsible for leading and coordinating an organization’s response to change. They work with teams across the company to assess the impact of change, develop change management plans, and monitor progress. They also focus on communication and training to ensure that employees are prepared for and can successfully execute the change. It generally requires a Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field and three to five years of experience working in change management. The average base salary of a change manager is $88,269 per year.

Change Management Coordinator: $72,090

A change management coordinator supports the change management process by gathering and analyzing data. Change management coordinators develop business processes to support the change and ensure that they properly execute changes. They generally require a Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field and two to five years of experience working in change management. The average base salary of a change management coordinator is $65,939

Organizational Development Consultant: $97,870

An organizational development consultant is responsible for helping businesses design and implement changes to their organizational structure. They work with clients to assess their needs, develop change management plans, and monitor progress. They create training programs to help employees adapt to new organizational structures. This position generally requires a Master’s degree in business or a related field and three to seven years of experience working in change management. The average base salary of an organizational development consultant is $80,107 per year. They also get additional payments of $17,797.

Director of Change Management: $116,921

A director of change management is responsible for all aspects of change management within an organization. They work with senior leadership to develop change management strategies, implement change management plans, and monitor progress. They analyze the impact of change on the business and develop effective strategies. It requires a Master’s degree in business or a related field and seven to ten years of experience working in change management.

Vice President of Change Management: $172,364

A vice president of change management is responsible for leading and coordinating an organization’s response to change. They work with teams across the company to assess the impact of change, develop change management plans, and monitor progress. VP change managers get a generous salary, and organizations compensate them for their years of experience and expertise in change management. This position generally requires a Master’s degree in business or a related field and ten or more years of experience working in change management.

Location

The location of a change manager is a significant factor that determines the salary. The cost of living in different geographical areas can considerably impact a person’s salary. Employers offer higher salaries to change managers to maintain their standard of living in areas where the cost of living is high. For example, change managers in the highest paying cities, like San Francisco, can expect to make more than a change manager in a smaller city.

The demand for professionals in an area also impacts their salary. Areas with high demand for change management offer higher salaries to attract and retain qualified candidates. For example, a change manager in Silicon Valley can expect to make more than a change manager in a less tech-savvy city.

United States

The median salaries of change managers in various cities of the United States is as follows:

  • San Francisco: $107,810
  • Redwood City: $104,819
  • San Jose: $102,101
  • El Segundo: $101,085
  • New York: $100,287
  • Boston: $100,487
  • Los Angeles: $96,600
  • Irvine: $95,411
  • Chicago: $94,560 
  • Denver: $93,735 
  • Philadelphia: $91,876 
  • Atlanta: $91,835

Europe

Change managers’ salary in various regions of Europe varies greatly. Following are some cities in Europe with the salaries of change managers in that particular country:

  • Barcelona: €57.802
  • Berlin: €60,173
  • Madrid: €48,000
  • London: €59,696
  • Munich: €82,590
  • Brussels: €102,838
  • Paris: €53,270

European countries also have a wide salary range for change managers. Scandinavian countries, such as Sweden and Denmark, offer the highest salaries, while Eastern European countries, such as Bulgaria and Romania, offer the lowest salaries.

Australia

The average salary for a change manager in Australia is $128,434 per year. Salaries for change managers in Australia vary depending on the company’s size and location. Change managers working for large companies in metropolitan areas can earn more than those working for small companies in rural areas.

Education

A change manager’s education is a significant factor that determines the salary. Change managers typically have a bachelor’s degree from a well-acknowledged university to an institute in business, information management, or a related field. A change manager with a master’s degree can earn a higher salary than those without it.

For getting a senior position as a change manager, many employers prefer a candidate to have a master’s degree and a certification in business administration and related fields.

Certifications

Certifications are also necessary for many change management positions. The most common certifications are:

  • Certified Change Management Professional (CCMP)
  • Certified Problem and Change Manager (CPCM)
  • Prosci Change Management Certification
  • ATD Certification in Change Management

FAQs

What does a change manager do?

A change manager is responsible for planning, organizing, and leading organizational changes. They work with all levels of an organization to identify and assess the required changes, develop a plan to implement the changes, and monitor the results. Change managers also work with people impacted by the changes to help them understand and accept the changes.

Change managers focus on the people’s side of change, which includes understanding the impact of changes on employees and helping them transition to the new changes. They also work to manage employees’ expectations and ensure that they understand the reasons for the changes.

Is a change manager a good job?

Yes, a change manager’s job is a good career for someone who enjoys working with people and is interested in helping them transition to changes. This career offers a lot of opportunities for growth and advancement.

Change managers can become senior change managers, directors of change management, or even chief change officers. They need to be able to manage their own time and be able to work independently as well as part of a team. They also have to be able to stay up to date on changes in the field and adapt quickly to changes in their organization.

How do you get a job as a change manager?

To get a change manager job, you need to search for the job first. Technology can help you in this pursuit. You can find many websites which offer jobs from all over the world. You should be active on job portals and submit your resume on multiple websites. You also need to learn about the exact pay target you have in your mind. Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay and offers you salary estimates for your desired job.

While applying for the job, you need a bachelor’s or master’s degree in business, information management, or a related field. Some companies might ask you to polish your skills through a certification program. Keep an eye on the job alerts to get a job as a change manager.

What qualifications do change managers need?

Change managers need to have a bachelor’s degree from a well-recognized university in business, information management, or a related field. They also need to have a certification from a renowned institute. Many employers prefer to hire change managers with master’s degrees.

 

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Josh Fechter
Josh Fechter is the founder of HR.University. He's a certified HR professional and has managed global teams across 5 different continents including their benefits and payroll. You can connect with him on LinkedIn here.