2024

What is the Average Change Manager Salary?

Want to know how much does a change manager makes every year? Let’s find out.

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 varies depending on location and industry. Here, 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.

Change-Manager-Responsibilities

Here are some popular positions for change managers and their average base salary, including overtime pay:

Change Management Coordinator: $90,000

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.

Organizational Development Consultant: $98,302

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. 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.

Change Management Analyst: $97,644

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.

Change Manager: $134,000

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. It generally requires a Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field and three to five years of experience working in change management.

Change Management Consultant: $143,000

A change management consultant is in high demand. As businesses strive to be agile and proactive in an evolving world, they are looking for consultants to 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.

Director of Change Management: $238,067

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. This job title demands 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: $246,000

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.

If you want to become a change management specialist, enroll yourself in our top‐rated certification:

Change Manager Salaries Based on Location

The location of a change manager is among the significant pay factors that determine the salary. The cost of living in different geographical areas impacts how much a person gets paid. 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, 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 expects to make more than a change manager in a less tech-savvy city.

United States

The average total salaries of change managers in various cities in the United States are as follows:

  • San Francisco: $182,000
  • Redwood City: $181,000
  • San Jose: $168,000
  • El Segundo: $151,000
  • New York: $160,000
  • Boston: $154,000
  • Los Angeles: $154,000
  • Irvine: $148,000
  • Chicago: $141,000
  • Denver: $146,000
  • Philadelphia: $139,000
  • Atlanta: $143,000

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: €47,588
  • Berlin: €55,000
  • Madrid: €48,500
  • London: €54,060
  • Munich: €73,000
  • Brussels: €102,000
  • Paris: €50,761

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 $140,000 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 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 earns a higher salary than those without it.

Certifications

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

Bottom Line

The salary of a change manager differs from one industry and location to another. The reason for this wide range of salaries is that the skills, experience, and expertise of a change manager vary. The position also requires different skill sets, depending on the organization’s needs. So, acquire the relevant education, gain work experience, and land on an amazing change management job.

FAQs

Here are the most frequently asked questions and answers about change manager salary:

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 focus on the people’s side of change, which includes understanding the impact of changes on employees and helping them report new 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 become senior change managers, directors of change management, or even chief change officers.

How do you get a job as a change manager?

To get a change manager job, you must search for the job first. Find many websites which offer jobs from all over the world. Be active on job portals and submit your resume on multiple websites. To apply for this job, you need a higher level of education. Some companies ask you to polish your skills through a certification program.

What qualifications do change managers need?

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

 

If you are new to Change Management and are looking to break into a Change Manager role, we recommend taking our Change Management Certification Course, where you will learn how to build your skill set in change management, build your network, craft an excellent Change Manager resume, and create a successful job search strategy.

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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.