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The differences between application leads and program/project managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an application lead has an average salary of $112,992, which is higher than the $101,850 average annual salary of a program/project manager.
The top three skills for an application lead include java, architecture and emerging technologies. The most important skills for a program/project manager are project management, program management, and PMP.
| Application Lead | Program/Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $112,992 | $101,850 |
| Hourly rate | $54.32 | $48.97 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 163,233 | 243,017 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 43 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
A lead applications developer is in charge of directing the development department in applications design, creation, coding, debugging, and testing. Lead applications developers serve as mentors for lower-level or new software programmers or developers. They supervise the development team members in pair programming, code reviews, and good development principle promotions. Their duties include the coordination of the schedule of development staff. Also, they ensure effective communication between the team members and the other IT functions.
The program manager and project manager are two important positions within a company that are thought to be similar. However, program managers direct diverse projects and programs while project managers head the team who is responsible for ensuring a project is completed on time and within budget. Program managers are responsible for the conveyance of the company goals and generally act as a customer interface that helps clients get their desired update and change of a project. Project managers, on the other hand, focus on the project's schedule, scope, and resources needed to complete it on time.
Application leads and program/project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Application Lead | Program/Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $112,992 | $101,850 |
| Salary range | Between $86,000 And $147,000 | Between $74,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Professional |
There are a few differences between an application lead and a program/project manager in terms of educational background:
| Application Lead | Program/Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between application leads' and program/project managers' demographics:
| Application Lead | Program/Project Manager | |
| Average age | 43 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.7% Female, 26.3% | Male, 62.0% Female, 38.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 22.6% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 10% |