Now available: The Community Association Manager Compensation & Salary Survey 2017 edition.
The most comprehensive collection of data on community association manager and management companies compiled to date. Data is listed by regions and based on community association and management company size. Contains a greater amount of statistical and industry analyses than previous salary surveys, including differences in salaries between managers with and without professional designations. Information about all association employees, particularly on-site personnel, is included.
Scope
The 2013 Community Association Manager Compensation and Salary Survey is the fifth salary survey conducted by the Foundation for Community Association Research since the year 2000. Each edition provides an interesting snapshot of the field, and enhances our understanding of this growing and dynamic profession.
The purpose of this report is not to set recommendations for compensation. There are many factors that influence compensation decisions for specific people in specific markets, organizations, and circumstances. Rather, this report is a snapshot of market data – one point of reference compiled using best practices with the support of a reputable research firm.
Job Titles
We modeled this report largely on the 2010 edition, and once again focused on the following roles: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a Management Company, Portfolio Manager, Onsite Manager, High-Rise Manager, Assistant Community Manager, and Large-Scale Manager.
Keep in mind that these terms are common industry categories or roles, and not typically used as job titles. A variety of specific job titles can be classified within a role. For example, a “General Manager” job title could be classified in the Large-Scale Manager role.
Another consideration is that as the industry grows, an increasing number of job titles may be used to describe community managers at various levels, and the professionals who lead and support them. For example, “Managing Director” could mean different things in different organizations, and we see “manager,” “director,” and “vice president” being used at division, regional, and national levels, as in “Regional Director.”
Demographics
Most of the demographics in this report track closely with the 2010 data. In other words, there has not been a lot of change in the profile of the respondents in terms of what part of the country they are from, their age, years in the profession, etc. However, three things in this area seem to stand out: 1) The respondents have somewhat higher formal education, 2) more of them hold professional designations, and 3) women are more represented in larger communities. For example, while the overall percentage of female respondents in the 2010 and 2013 surveys remains about the same at 58%, the percentage of women in organizations with budgets over $10 million has increased.
Factors Influencing Compensation
The first thing many people do with a compensation report is to “look themselves up” to see how they compare. While this is perfectly natural, it is important to get at least three sources of compensation data to get perspective. Survey results are definitely not the only – or even the primary – information source for organizations making compensation decisions. This report should be considered a valid point of reference, but not used in isolation from other information.
A compensation report such as this one is only one data point in understanding the market for talent in a profession. Many factors go into determining compensation levels, including employer size, location, market position, the economy, and the individual employee’s experience, education, and performance. Because of these and many other factors, this report should not be used as the sole or definitive guide for compensation decisions.
Similarly, we must be cautious about comparing data in this report with previous years, primarily because there is a different set of respondents. This, combined with the amount of change in the profession, makes an accurate year to year comparison very difficult. For example, many more professionals now hold certifications or designations than in previous years.
Highlights
Not surprisingly, there remains a clear link between achieving designations and earning higher compensation. Credentials such as the CMCA, AMS, and PCAM, represent an investment of time, effort, and resources which is increasingly recognized in the employment market.
Interesting trends identified in this edition:
CEOs and Large-Scale Managers showed significant compensation increases over 2010.
Females are moving into manager positions at larger communities, so their representation at larger communities has gone up.
Overall, respondents are slightly more educated, with fewer high school-only graduates and more managers reporting at least some college-level education.
72% of respondents say that business prospects for their employer are “Good” or “Very Good” for the coming year or two. Almost all of the other respondents have the view that business prospects remain about the same.
Professional community managers are increasingly using technology, especially mobile devices. For example, 69% of managers are provided with a mobile phone by their employer, 58% have remote access to their employer’s computer network, and 40% are provided with a laptop. Not surprisingly, these percentages are higher in larger organizations.
