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Category Leadership Manager Salary in the United States

How much does a Category Leadership Manager make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Category Leadership Manager in the United States is $130,231 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $63.

However, a Category Leadership Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $152,052
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $116,932 to $141,653
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $104,824
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Category Leadership Manager Salaries

A Category Leadership 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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Category Leadership Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Category Leadership 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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $166,182
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $112,635
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $129,391
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $149,067
  • Expert (over 8 years): $183,085
Levels Salary
Category ... Level Category Leadership Manager$166,182
Category ... Level Category Leadership Manager$112,635
Category ... Level Category Leadership Manager$129,391
Category ... Level Category Leadership Manager$149,067
Category ... Level Category Leadership Manager$183,085
View as Graph

How Do Category Leadership Manager 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 Category Leadership Managers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $144,192.
  • California: $143,645.
  • Massachusetts: $141,730.

Top Paying Cities for Category Leadership Managers

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: $164,260
  • San Francisco: $162,462
  • Oakland: $159,038

What Skills Can Increase a Category Leadership Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 7.3% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Strategic Sourcing (Mentioned in 2.62% Job Postings): Identifying spend profiles and developing channels to acquire the optimum value of supplies that align with organizational goals.
  • Economics (Mentioned in 0.86% Job Postings): Economics is a social science that focuses on the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, and analyzes the choices that individuals, businesses, governments, and nations make to allocate resources.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 7.3%
Strategic Sourcing 2.62%
Economics 0.86%
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 a Category Leadership Manager's salary.

  • Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Partnering: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Accountability: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Insight $134,138
3%
Partnering $134,138
3%
Accountability $134,138
3%
Get Latest Data

Category Leadership Manager Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Category Leadership Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 105% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Category Leadership Manager positions in Transportation or MFG Durable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Category Leadership Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Category Leadership Manager

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking$169,300$81.030%
Biotechnology$162,789$78.025%
Internet$156,277$75.020%
MFG Nondurable$149,766$72.015%
Energy & Utilities$143,254$69.010%

Category Leadership Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Category Leadership 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 September 01, 2026
$116,932
Average $130,231/year
$141,653
$9,744
Average $10,853/month
$11,804
$2,249
Average $2,504/week
$2,724
$56
Average $63/hour
$68
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $141,653 $11,804 $2,724 $68
Average $130,231 $10,853 $2,504 $63
25th Percentile $116,932 $9,744 $2,249 $56

Most common benefits for Category Leadership Manager

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

Common company salaries for Category Leadership Manager

Here are companies hiring for Category Leadership Manager and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Category Leadership Manager

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Category Leadership Manager?

The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Category Leadership Manager roles, with salaries approximately 30% 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.

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