▼13%
$75,000
Avg. Base Salary (USD)
/ year
Avg. Base Salary (USD)
10%
$37k
MEDIAN
$75k
90%
$111k
The average salary for a Category Manager is $75,000 in 2025
Base Salary
$37k - $111k
Bonus
$491 - $15k
Total Pay
$37k - $124k
Is Average Mid-Career Category Manager with Windows Operating System General Use Skills Salary your job title? Find out what you should be paid
Use our tool to get a personalized report on your market worth.What's this?
EXPLORE BY:
Featured Content
‹
Remote Work
New research shows how to set pay for remote employees
Gender Pay Gap
New research shows that each woman experiences the disparity of gender pay gap in different ways, depending on her position, age, race and education.
Compensation Best Practices Report
From compensation planning to variable pay to pay equity analysis, we surveyed 4,900+ organizations on how they manage compensation.
Salary Budget Survey Report
See how organizations are shifting their salary budgets this year.
Retention Report
Get strategies you can use to retain top talent and learn how impactful employee retention really is.
Variable Pay Playbook
Before you decide whether variable pay is right for your org, get a deeper understanding of the variable pay options and the cultural impact of pay choices.
›
What is the Pay by Experience Level for Category Managers?
What Do Category Managers Do?
Category Manager Tasks
- Manage, improve and recommend the product assortment for the company.
- Verify plans and provide explanations for variances in budgeted sales and gross profit.
- Identify leverage opportunities, work with procurement, negotiate contracts, supply agreements and programs.
- Develop annual category plans which include current situation analysis, vision and strategy and specific category plans.
- Narrow categories and work with suppliers to narrow products supplied to the company.
Find your market worth – how it works:
Common Health Benefits for a Category Manager
Medical
78%
Dental
78%
Vision
78%
None
22%
Gender Breakdown for Category Managers
Male
55.6%
Female
44.4%
This data is based on 9 survey responses. Learn more about the gender pay gap.
FAQs About Category Managers
What is the highest pay for Category Managers?
Our data indicates that the highest pay for a Category Manager is $111k / year
What is the lowest pay for Category Managers?
Our data indicates that the lowest pay for a Category Manager is $37k / year
How can Category Managers increase their salary?
Increasing your pay as a Category Manager is possible in different ways. Change of employer: Consider a career move to a new employer that is willing to pay higher for your skills. Level of Education: Gaining advanced degrees may allow this role to increase their income potential and qualify for promotions. Managing Experience: If you are a Category Manager that oversees more junior Category Managers, this experience can increase the likelihood to earn more.