General and operations managers
SOC Code: 11-1021
General and operations managers carries a 37% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $102,950 and +4.4% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 3,712,900 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 37% AI exposure, General and operations managers sits 0 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 59% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
68/100
General and operations managers, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage A $102,950
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth B +4.4%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) D 37% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with General and operations managers in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Bachelor's band with mid-pack BLS pace
General and operations managers shares the Bachelor's gate with 178 peer occupations and lands in Average (378 of 832). Neither the rarest nor the most crowded growth shelf - use wage and AI desks on this page for the differentiator.
Where General and operations managers sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where General and operations managers sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
37% Around the middle lower than 41% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
General and operations managers vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. General and operations managers is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
General and operations managers's Medium automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 11-1021) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets General and operations managers be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes General and operations managers. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. 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.
- 2. Direct and coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with the production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products.
- 3. Manage the movement of goods into and out of production facilities to ensure efficiency, effectiveness, or sustainability of operations.
- 4. Direct administrative activities directly related to making products or providing services.
- 5. Set prices or credit terms for goods or services, based on forecasts of customer demand.
- 6. Prepare staff work schedules and assign specific duties.
- 7. Direct or coordinate financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.
- 8. Perform sales floor work, such as greeting or assisting customers, stocking shelves, or taking inventory.
- 9. Plan or direct activities, such as sales promotions, that require coordination with other department managers.
- 10. Perform personnel functions, such as selection, training, or evaluation.
Key Skills Required
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Coordination
- Social Perceptiveness
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Active Learning
- Persuasion
Knowledge Areas
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Production and Processing
- Mathematics
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Administrative
- Economics and Accounting
- Sales and Marketing
- Engineering and Technology
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace General and operations managers?
General and operations managers has an AI exposure score of 37%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for General and operations managers?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, General and operations managers is projected to grow by 4.4% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 3,712,900 workers.
What skills are needed for General and operations managers?
Key skills for General and operations managers include Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, and others. Typical entry-level education is Bachelor's degree.
How much do General and operations managers earn?
The median annual wage for General and operations managers is $102,950, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for General and operations managers?
The typical entry-level education for General and operations managers is Bachelor's degree. Employers generally expect 5 years or more of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves None. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ General and operations managers?
General and operations managers roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for General and operations managers: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (37% here).
- Aircraft cargo handling supervisors · AI exposure 37%
- Bakers · AI exposure 37%
- Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders · AI exposure 37%
- Construction and building inspectors · AI exposure 37%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+4.4% here).
- Environmental scientists and specialists, including health · growth +4.4%
- Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors · growth +4.4%
- Helpers, construction trades, all other · growth +4.4%
- Social science research assistants · growth +4.4%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 21 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use General and operations managers' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare General and operations managers side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).