Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between career managers and professional development managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a career manager, becoming a professional development manager takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a professional development manager has an average salary of $101,737, which is higher than the $47,312 average annual salary of a career manager.
The top three skills for a career manager include career development, career services and training programs. The most important skills for a professional development manager are professional growth, project management, and educational programs.
| Career Manager | Professional Development Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $47,312 | $101,737 |
| Hourly rate | $22.75 | $48.91 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 9,135 | 114,553 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A Career Manager supervises and guides a group of people in their careers. They are responsible for planning and directing the operations of a division, department, or business.
A professional development manager is typically responsible for designing and developing career and professional growth programs in companies. Their responsibilities usually include planning interviews and assessments to identify the employees' needs, establishing guidelines and timelines, coordinating staff, liaising with internal and external parties, and collaborating with other experts. They must also develop training programs to enhance employees' soft and hard skills. Moreover, as a professional development manager, they must lead and encourage staff to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Career managers and professional development managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Career Manager | Professional Development Manager | |
| Average salary | $47,312 | $101,737 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $77,000 | Between $66,000 And $156,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Daly City, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | - | Shearman & Sterling |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a career manager and a professional development manager in terms of educational background:
| Career Manager | Professional Development Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between career managers' and professional development managers' demographics:
| Career Manager | Professional Development Manager | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.2% Female, 55.8% | Male, 41.9% Female, 58.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 4.1% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 14% | 18% |