Is account management a career that can get you to the 150k-200k after years of experience? What’s the next step after senior account manager to make some real money?

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OP are you talking advertising agency account management or like, a random organization’s sales team account management department? This bowl was started for ad agencies, so a lot of the responses will be in that realm, but I suspect that’s not what you’re talking about? A lot of the responses above are specifically for ad agency structure and salaries. If that IS what you mean, then yeah, after ten years or so, you can definitely get to that range. I have 12 years acct management agency experience and I made 160, which is actually pretty low for my years exp.

likesmart

The answer to your first question is yes, for sure, but that would typically be at least a VP level if not SVP or EVP. Titles may vary by agency.

I don’t know what you’re making now or what you are considering “real money“ so hard to answer the other part. In general though, the salary progressively goes up with experience and title changes but there isn’t necessarily a point where it takes a really big jump unless you switch agencies and get a new title.

likesmart

Yes, most definitely. I believe the typical career path varies per agency but from what I’ve seen:

Account coordinator
Account executive
Senior account executive
Account supervisor
Group account supervisor
Account director
Group account director
VP

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Here is basically how it works. As you move up in agency account management (if that is what you are interested in), you have to be overseeing larger amounts of revenue if you want to be paid significantly more, and you have to personally be viewed as important to those client relationships & the quality of the work. The more important your accounts are to the agency, the more you can expect to be compensated.

However, at a certain point, the program changes and you will start to be more compensated in equity & bonus vs just a straight salary.

likesmart

All of the above. You also have to drive massive growth in client revenue. But when you do, $250k is within reach.

likesmart

Account Director, VP Account Management or Director/VP Client Services or any other client management leadership role would get you those money and more

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I feel like it depends on the area of business but 100% yes if not higher. I’m at 150k and I’m not even a true high level with a full team under me. The bigger money starts around the Group Supervisor or Account Director level versus all the more junior levels which really bleed together and are just based on years of experience. Some of my higher level bosses were around 250k and I assume higher

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If Drake can do it, you can too. I did. 🤷‍♂️

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Senior Acct Manager -> Sales Director? VP of Sales? Regional VP

I think so, I’m not sure what field you’re in but I work at an internal creative I’m 1 year in at $135k. I’m non senior/no reports so feel like I’m on track to be on that range taking into account moving up, raises etc.

^ Not she.

To your questions AS1:

Advertising/retail, internal creative vs agency. I’m a contractor not a FTE. Fortune 500 retailer, 1 year as an account manager but have been at the company for 3 years, the 2 before being an AM i was a creative producer. So my salary range might be nuanced in that way.

The AM team is completely new to our company & I’m the highest performer/best reputation so they’ve been very flexible with raises when I’ve asked for them. I’m quite literally/actually indispensable at the moment due to the high turn over rate, length of time it takes people to learn how the company works & solid production experience.

In the 3 years it went: producer 85K, producer 93K, AM 115k, AM135k

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If any of you is hiring for account manager in canada, I have 7+ years of experience and looking to continue and excel in technical sales.

The going rate for an account director can get you $150k+. I’ve seen it as early as 7 years experience. Group account director seems to be in the $185k-$225k range now. Above that you usually get a bonus attached to your base and are doing really well.

Yes

In my industry jr accounts managers salary are around 80k to 110k after a couple of year they get to 140k to 160k. For my self The last 5 years my average is 200k . I have 15 years experience in sales and accounts manager. My current title is Key account manager…

My next step is sales manager to cover a team or start my consulting company.

Damn! I started as a Jr AM- 50k with a bonus of $3500🌚

agency side here, I’m currently making $160K base salary as an account director with almost 7 YOE, with opportunity for a 10-15% bonus annually. Depending on the agency and the way titles are structured, or years of experience, some make more for this title, as I am on the lower side with years of experience for what my title is. Hope that helps! $200K and above is definitely achievable as you reach the VP level and above.

Hi! How much did you make when you were a Group Account Sup? (Feel free to DM if you don’t want to share here!)

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