What Does a Box Office Manager Do?
If tickets are involved, a box office manager usually is too. The work covers ticket sales, seating, refunds and the staff who handle them for concerts, games and shows, from the first on-sale date to the last walk-up buyer. Most managers report to a venue or events director.
Also known as: Ticket Office Manager, Ticket Office Assistant Manager
Box Office Manager Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a box office manager include:
- Set up events in the ticketing system, building seat maps, price levels and on-sale dates.
- Supervise ticket sellers and part-time staff, scheduling shifts around shows and games.
- Balance nightly sales, reconcile cash and card receipts, and prepare settlement reports.
- Manage season tickets, subscriptions and group orders, including renewals and seat changes.
- Resolve customer problems with refunds, exchanges, lost tickets and accessible seating requests.
- Coordinate with promoters and event managers on holds, comps and house seats.
- Enforce policies on ticket limits, fraud checks and resale to protect fans.
- Train staff on the ticketing system, customer service and emergency procedures.
- Report sales trends to marketing so they can adjust promotions before events.
- Open the box office on event nights and handle will-call and walk-up sales.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a box office manager, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Ticketing systems such as Tessitura, AudienceView or Ticketmaster
- Cash handling and nightly settlement
- Staff scheduling and supervision
- Customer service under pressure
- Excel reporting
- Seat map and pricing setup
- Knowledge of accessible seating rules
- Evening and weekend availability
Education and Training
Venues hiring a box office manager favor candidates who already know a ticketing system such as Tessitura, AudienceView or Ticketmaster. Most managers work their way up from ticket seller to assistant manager, and a few arrive from arts administration or hospitality. A bachelor's degree is common.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $61,060 - $104,770 per year, with a median of $79,520.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling.
According to BLS, employment of entertainment and recreation managers, the group box office managers belong to, is projected to grow about 6 percent in the decade ending in 2035. That works out to roughly 5,100 openings a year across the group. Box office jobs follow the event calendar.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling.