Also called: Dealer Principal
Runs a car dealership's sales, service, parts and finance departments as one business.
You check yesterday's sales numbers, coach a salesperson who lost a deal, and look at why the service department's repair times are slipping. Then you negotiate with the manufacturer about how many trucks you'll get next month.
Pay is mostly bonus based on dealership profit, so top performers can earn far more than the median.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 10 years after high school. No degree required; most work their way up from car sales or finance manager.
Ways in: On-the-job training, 4-year college. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Business Administration, Automotive Management.
Growing about average (about 3% over 10 years). Tracks general and operations managers in auto dealers.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Online car buying and AI pricing tools cut some sales staff; running service, finance and people stays human.
Classes: Business elective, Auto shop, Accounting.
Official data: O*NET occupation 11-1021.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.