General and Operations Managers
Also called: General Manager (GM), Operations Director, Operations Manager, Store ManagerPlan, direct, or coordinate the operations of public or private sector organizations, overseeing multiple departments or locations. Duties and responsibilities include formulating policies, managing daily operations, and planning the use of materials and human resources, but are too diverse and general in nature to be classified in any one functional area of management or administration, such as personnel, purchasing, or administrative services. Usually manage through subordinate supervisors. Excludes First-Line Supervisors.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 11 of its 17 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 5.0% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 2.8% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 7.9 hires for every 10 job openings in professional and business services, which employs about 23% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.7.9 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $111,790 | $76,840 to $169,510 | 30,170 |
| Alaska | $116,630 | $85,770 to $160,810 | 6,020 |
| Arizona | $94,800 | $63,040 to $149,550 | 110,480 |
| Arkansas | $74,050 | $48,760 to $117,510 | 34,570 |
| California | $124,390 | $81,620 to $186,230 | 300,840 |
| Colorado | $131,840 | $91,180 to $195,190 | 41,870 |
| Connecticut | $137,220 | $95,300 to $207,860 | 39,070 |
| Delaware | $137,220 | $97,920 to $200,010 | 5,000 |
| District of Columbia | $168,000 | $127,110 to $204,890 | 36,150 |
| Florida | $101,580 | $68,400 to $158,340 | 236,290 |
| Georgia | $103,730 | $68,000 to $165,100 | 111,060 |
| Guam | $67,690 | $47,320 to $97,470 | 1,580 |
| Hawaii | $108,180 | $75,050 to $157,490 | 13,380 |
| Idaho | $80,390 | $57,470 to $121,050 | 24,880 |
| Illinois | $103,570 | $72,300 to $167,980 | 171,300 |
| Indiana | $108,170 | $75,690 to $167,830 | 47,180 |
| Iowa | $87,690 | $60,200 to $129,990 | 30,760 |
| Kansas | $92,840 | $65,350 to $139,410 | 24,660 |
| Kentucky | $79,370 | $53,820 to $124,710 | 52,100 |
| Louisiana | $101,790 | $68,750 to $156,040 | 43,220 |
| Maine | $98,860 | $71,090 to $135,210 | 14,770 |
| Maryland | $117,930 | $78,760 to $172,410 | 96,740 |
| Massachusetts | $127,220 | $82,190 to $199,540 | 95,880 |
| Michigan | $99,530 | $65,000 to $155,330 | 85,860 |
| Minnesota | $99,340 | $64,650 to $150,530 | 72,860 |
| Mississippi | $106,680 | $68,920 to $158,890 | 10,630 |
| Missouri | $79,300 | $54,850 to $123,340 | 109,020 |
| Montana | $91,380 | $64,990 to $128,650 | 11,840 |
| Nebraska | $85,090 | $61,870 to $131,370 | 24,030 |
| Nevada | $99,390 | $64,220 to $157,340 | 38,920 |
| New Hampshire | $124,680 | $79,830 to $175,660 | 22,110 |
| New Jersey | $173,690 | $111,580 to $284,250 | 53,000 |
| New Mexico | $98,630 | $64,090 to $142,650 | 16,330 |
| New York | $130,860 | $85,770 to $209,110 | 206,740 |
| North Carolina | $101,950 | $66,800 to $162,170 | 63,740 |
| North Dakota | $98,170 | $68,950 to $135,180 | 11,150 |
| Ohio | $97,700 | $62,880 to $153,310 | 153,160 |
| Oklahoma | $90,430 | $60,130 to $135,600 | 43,890 |
| Oregon | $103,490 | $74,670 to $160,590 | 36,190 |
| Pennsylvania | $103,130 | $72,580 to $158,800 | 172,010 |
| Puerto Rico | $73,570 | $48,940 to $109,420 | 7,190 |
| Rhode Island | $117,380 | $85,700 to $171,220 | 9,150 |
| South Carolina | $106,080 | $75,480 to $158,250 | 32,230 |
| South Dakota | $137,400 | $105,210 to $185,100 | 4,280 |
| Tennessee | $106,970 | $72,500 to $163,820 | 63,720 |
| Texas | $103,230 | $64,470 to $168,510 | 431,310 |
| Utah | $97,850 | $62,140 to $152,310 | 42,580 |
| Vermont | $98,640 | $75,460 to $148,620 | 8,000 |
| Virgin Islands | $82,850 | $62,400 to $114,990 | 1,040 |
| Virginia | $122,080 | $78,240 to $178,490 | 103,590 |
| Washington | $133,750 | $101,030 to $188,290 | 50,630 |
| West Virginia | $82,500 | $59,550 to $125,180 | 15,300 |
| Wisconsin | $118,730 | $79,360 to $171,130 | 36,910 |
| Wyoming | $99,700 | $64,090 to $144,250 | 7,470 |
Nationally: $105,770. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 11 of its 17 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI + software | Review financial statements, sales or activity reports, or other performance data to measure productivity or goal achievement or to identify areas needing cost reduction or program improvement. | 0.03% |
| Not much | Perform personnel functions, such as selection, training, or evaluation. | Not published |
| Not much | Direct administrative activities directly related to making products or providing services. | Not published |
| AI + software | Prepare staff work schedules and assign specific duties. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Establish or implement departmental policies, goals, objectives, or procedures in conjunction with board members, organization officials, or staff members. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Direct and coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with the production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products. | Not published |
See all 17 tasks
| AI + software | Direct or coordinate financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency. | Not published |
| AI + software | Plan or direct activities, such as sales promotions, that require coordination with other department managers. | Not published |
| Not much | Monitor suppliers to ensure that they efficiently and effectively provide needed goods or services within budgetary limits. | Not published |
| Not much | Perform sales floor work, such as greeting or assisting customers, stocking shelves, or taking inventory. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Set prices or credit terms for goods or services, based on forecasts of customer demand. | Not published |
| AI + software | Manage the movement of goods into and out of production facilities to ensure efficiency, effectiveness, or sustainability of operations. | Not published |
| AI + software | Develop or implement product-marketing strategies, including advertising campaigns or sales promotions. | 0.18% |
| AI + software | Direct non-merchandising departments of businesses, such as advertising or purchasing. | Not published |
| AI alone | Implement or oversee environmental management or sustainability programs addressing issues such as recycling, conservation, or waste management. | Not published |
| Not much | Plan store layouts or design displays. | under 0.01% |
| Not much | Recommend locations for new facilities, or oversee the remodeling or renovating of current facilities. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 6 of the 17 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 17 tasks fall under 17 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #11 Provide information to guests, clients, or customers
- #17 Implement procedures or processes
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures | |||
| Implement procedures or processes | |||
| Develop organizational policies, systems, or processes | |||
| Develop business or marketing plans | |||
| Provide information to guests, clients, or customers | |||
| Analyze business or financial data | |||
| Advise others on business or operational matters | |||
| Determine resource needs of projects or operations |
Show all 17 activities
| Monitor individual behavior or performance | |||
| Manage budgets or finances | |||
| Develop organizational or program goals or objectives | |||
| Analyze data to improve operations | |||
| Design structures or facilities | |||
| Train others on operational or work procedures | |||
| Assign work to others | |||
| Perform recruiting or hiring activities | |||
| Direct construction or extraction activities |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- A plan or strategy27%
- Marketing or social media content20%
- A document or report17%
- Data or a spreadsheet5%
- A presentation or slides4%
How they worked with Claude
81% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for general and operations managers specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 1,492,569 moves out
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 8%
- 2 Sales Managers High +4.5% 6%
- 3 Chief Executives Very high +3.2% 6%
- 4 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 5%
- 5 Financial Managers Very high +9.7% 3%
Where people moved in from
of 1,877,853 moves in
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 8%
- 2 Sales Managers High +4.5% 6%
- 3 First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers High -3.7% 4%
- 4 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products Very high -0.9% 3%
- 5 Chief Executives Very high +3.2% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 10% less than high school
- 29% high school
- 6% postsecondary certificate
- 22% some college
- 6% associate's
- 27% bachelor's
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 28 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 3% less than high school
- 18% high school
- 23% some college
- 9% associate's
- 33% bachelor's
- 10% master's
- 1% professional degree
- 1% doctorate
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 13,794 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
15 programs, such as Veterinary Office Management/Administration, Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, General and Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, Other.
See all
- Veterinary Office Management/Administration
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, General
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, Other
- Public Administration
- Business/Commerce, General
- Business Administration and Management, General
- Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management
- Retail Management
- Risk Management
- Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Finance, General
- Financial Risk Management
- International Business/Trade/Commerce
- Management Science
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
46.7% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | 6.1% | 19.1% |
| a certification | 2.7% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | 1.4% | 2.8% |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 2 registered apprenticeships in this occupation (Operations Management; Professional Golf & Operations Manager). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “General and Operations Managers” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
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