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The differences between associate product managers and product leads can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 8-10 years to become both an associate product manager and a product lead. Additionally, a product lead has an average salary of $118,828, which is higher than the $89,963 average annual salary of an associate product manager.
The top three skills for an associate product manager include product management, project management and user stories. The most important skills for a product lead are product management, project management, and architecture.
| Associate Product Manager | Product Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $89,963 | $118,828 |
| Hourly rate | $43.25 | $57.13 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 107,763 | 95,557 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 10 |
An associate product manager is someone who assists the product development teams in the development of new product features. The duties of an associate include formulation of product strategies, collection of quantitative product data, and interpretation of consumer feedback. The requirements to qualify for the position include a bachelor's degree in computer science, marketing, business management, or a related field, the ability to maintain strong customer relations, and excellent communication skills.
A product lead is responsible for monitoring the development of new products and services of an organization, starting from brand conceptualization to official market release and distribution. Product leads identify effective product management by conducting data analysis and evaluating market statistics of customer demands. They coordinate with the clients on their specifications and requirements, including the budget limit and timely deliverables. A product lead manages the brand promotion on media platforms, creating content that adheres to the target audience.
Associate product managers and product leads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Product Manager | Product Lead | |
| Average salary | $89,963 | $118,828 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $122,000 | Between $86,000 And $163,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between an associate product manager and a product lead in terms of educational background:
| Associate Product Manager | Product Lead | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between associate product managers' and product leads' demographics:
| Associate Product Manager | Product Lead | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.0% Female, 55.0% | Male, 71.1% Female, 28.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |