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What is a city manager and how to become one
Primarily, city managers close the gap between politics and the daily administration of city services. In most cities, the city manager manages all departments and reports to the city council. He/She ensures residents enjoy effective and efficient city services, such as water, sewage, and other utilities. He/She manages the city's budget. Furthermore, he/she represents the city during social functions and formal meetings with municipalities and government officials. Also, he/she serves as a spokesperson to the media on council activities. Additionally, he/she supervises municipal projects and delegates tasks to the city operational managers of departments and city employees.
The minimum educational requirement for a city manager is a bachelor's degree. Candidates need to obtain a Certified Public Manager (CPM) certification. You must also have up to eight years of relevant work experience. Key skills include communication, organization, critical thinking, public speaking, and people skills. City managers make about $76,693 annually. This ranges from $40,000 to $148,000.
What general advice would you give to a City Manager?
Jaunelle Celaire
Chair, Professor of Voice, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Avg. Salary $76,188
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth Rate 6%
Growth Rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.64%
Asian 7.60%
Black or African American 3.73%
Hispanic or Latino 7.71%
Unknown 3.89%
White 76.43%
Genderfemale 30.37%
male 69.63%
Age - 52American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 52Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity Level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work Life balance is poor
6.4 - fair
City Manager career paths
Key steps to become a city manager
Explore city manager education requirements
Start to develop specific city manager skills
Skills 
Percentages Human Resources 9.01% Economic Development 7.75% Oversight 6.76% Customer Service 6.40% Public Works 6.21% Research city manager duties and responsibilities
- Manage debt issuance, debt service, redemptions and tax arbitrage calculations.
- Interpret and apply GAAP and GASB and other applicable accounting guidelines.
- Provide assistance in oversight and management of all city operations.
- Deploy code enforcement oversight to counter deteriorating private properties as well as public infrastructure.
Prepare your city manager resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your city manager resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a city manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose From 10+ Customizable City Manager Resume templates
Build a professional City Manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your City Manager resume.
Apply for city manager jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a city manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
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Average city manager salary
The average City Manager salary in the United States is $76,188 per year or $37 per hour. City manager salaries range between $40,000 and $142,000 per year.
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Updated January 8, 2025
