Salary AI Book a Demo
upper level job

IT Vendor Relationship Manager Salary in the United States

How much does an IT Vendor Relationship Manager make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for an IT Vendor Relationship Manager in the United States is $133,237 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $64.

However, an IT Vendor Relationship Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $151,996
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $118,508 to $143,056
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $105,098
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence IT Vendor Relationship Manager Salaries

An IT Vendor Relationship Manager's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects IT Vendor Relationship Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an IT Vendor Relationship Manager's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • IT Vendor Management Analyst IV (7+ years): $132,347
  • IT Vendor Management Analyst V (7-10 years): $150,725
  • IT Vendor Relationship Manager (10+ years): $133,237
  • IT Vendor Relationship Senior Manager (10+ years): $174,499
  • VP of IT Vendor Relationships (10+ years): $253,020
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
IT Vendor Management Analyst IV7+ years$132,347
IT Vendor Management Analyst V7-10 years$150,725
IT Vendor Relationship Manager10+ years$133,237
IT Vendor Relationship Senior Manager10+ years$174,499
VP of IT Vendor Relationships10+ years$253,020
View as Graph

How Do IT Vendor Relationship Managers Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract IT Vendor Relationship Managers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $147,520.
  • California: $146,960.
  • Massachusetts: $145,002.

Top Paying Cities for IT Vendor Relationship Manager

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $168,052
  • San Francisco: $166,212
  • Oakland: $162,709

What Skills Can Increase an IT Vendor Relationship Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 3.99% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Customer Support (Mentioned in 2% Job Postings): Customer support is a range of customer services to assist customers in making cost effective and correct use of a product. It includes assistance in planning, installation, training, troubleshooting, maintenance, upgrading, and disposal of a product. Regarding technology products such as mobile phones, televisions, computers, software products or other electronic or mechanical goods, it is termed technical support. Customer support is considered as one of the main data channels for customer satisfaction research and a way to increase customer retention.
  • Public Relations (Mentioned in 2% Job Postings): Public relations (PR) is the practice of deliberately managing the spread of information between an individual or an organization (such as a business, government agency, or a nonprofit organization) and the public. Public relations may include an organization or individual gaining exposure to their audiences using topics of public interest and news items that do not require direct payment. This differentiates it from advertising as a form of marketing communications. Public relations is the idea of creating coverage for clients for free, rather than marketing or advertising. But now, advertising is also a part of greater PR Activities. An example of good public relations would be generating an article featuring a client, rather than paying for the client to be advertised next to the article. The aim of public relations is to inform the public, prospective customers, investors, partners, employees, and other stakeholders and ultimately persuade them to maintain a positive or favorable view about the organization, its leadership, products, or political decisions. Public relations professionals typically work for PR and marketing firms, businesses and companies, government, and public officials as PIOs and nongovernmental organizations, and nonprofit organizations. Jobs central to public relations include account coordinator, account executive, account supervisor, and media relations manager.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 3.99%
Customer Support 2%
Public Relations 2%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an IT Vendor Relationship Manager's salary.

  • Corporate Social Responsibility: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Change Management: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Digital Transformation: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Corporate Social Responsibility $145,228
9%
Change Management $141,231
6%
Digital Transformation $141,231
6%
Get Latest Data

IT Vendor Relationship Manager Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

IT Vendor Relationship Manager salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $149,151. While startup companies pay approximate $126,178.

IT Vendor Relationship Manager Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $126,178
Growth Stage 51~500 $133,449
Established 501~5000 $144,032
Enterprise 5000+ $149,151

IT Vendor Relationship Manager Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For IT Vendor Relationship Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Transportation and Software & Networking sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, IT Vendor Relationship Manager positions in Telecom or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view IT Vendor Relationship Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an IT Vendor Relationship Manager

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Transportation$199,856$96.050%
Software & Networking$193,194$93.045%
Pharmaceuticals$186,532$90.040%
MFG Durable$179,870$86.035%
Internet$173,208$83.030%

How Education impacts an IT Vendor Relationship Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many IT Vendor Relationship Manager enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an IT Vendor Relationship Manager with a Bachelor's Degree is between $133,986 and $143,291.

IT Vendor Relationship Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for IT Vendor Relationship Manager
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 8.8%
High School 8.8%
Associates 11.0%
Bachelors 46.2%
Masters 34.1%
Doctorate 0.0%
View as Graph

IT Vendor Relationship Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an IT Vendor Relationship Manager's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$118,508
Average $133,237/year
$143,056
$9,876
Average $11,103/month
$11,921
$2,279
Average $2,562/week
$2,751
$57
Average $64/hour
$69
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $143,056 $11,921 $2,751 $69
Average $133,237 $11,103 $2,562 $64
25th Percentile $118,508 $9,876 $2,279 $57

IT Vendor Relationship Manager Salary Growth & Career Path

IT Vendor Relationship Manager

Next Role

Advancement

For an IT Vendor Relationship Manager, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the IT Vendor Relationship Senior Manager role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $174,499 - a projected growth of 31% over your current level.

Most common benefits for IT Vendor Relationship Manager

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for IT Vendor Relationship Manager

Here are companies hiring for IT Vendor Relationship Manager and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next IT Vendor Relationship Manager Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current IT Vendor Relationship Manager job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about IT Vendor Relationship Manager

1. Where can an IT Vendor Relationship Manager earn the most?

An IT Vendor Relationship Manager's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, an IT Vendor Relationship Manager earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of an IT Vendor Relationship Manager is $168,052.

2. What is the highest pay for IT Vendor Relationship Manager?

The highest pay for IT Vendor Relationship Manager is $151,996.

3. What is the lowest pay for IT Vendor Relationship Manager?

The lowest pay for IT Vendor Relationship Manager is $105,098.

4. What are the responsibilities of IT Vendor Relationship Manager?

Manages the organization's strategic technology vendor management program to meet company needs and comply with required quality standards. Assists with selecting the company's product and service providers and tracks the procurement of IT products and services to monitor and maintain operational costs and budgets. Leads request for proposals (RFP) process to vet the reputation and quality of vendor products. Negotiates service level agreements to ensure performance/quality metrics, responsibilities, expectations, and penalties are clearly defined. Works closely with internal teams to monitor, maintain, and improve existing vendor relationships. Conducts regular business reviews to ensure compliance with company expectations, review issues, and develop solutions. May require experience with software licensing and hardware procurement. Requires a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to a head of a unit/department. Manages subordinate staff in the day-to-day performance of their jobs. True first level manager. Ensures that project/department milestones/goals are met and adhering to approved budgets. Has full authority for personnel actions. Typically requires 5 years experience in the related area as an individual contributor. 1 - 3 years supervisory experience may be required. Extensive knowledge of the function and department processes.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for IT Vendor Relationship Manager?

The Transportation industry offers the highest average compensation for IT Vendor Relationship Manager roles, with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst
lower level job