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The differences between configuration managers and project leaders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a configuration manager and a project leader. Additionally, a configuration manager has an average salary of $112,553, which is higher than the $98,559 average annual salary of a project leader.
The top three skills for a configuration manager include database, version control and infrastructure. The most important skills for a project leader are project management, work ethic, and C++.
| Configuration Manager | Project Leader | |
| Yearly salary | $112,553 | $98,559 |
| Hourly rate | $54.11 | $47.38 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 5,071 | 221,165 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A configuration manager is in charge of spearheading configuration management procedures, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities revolve around devising strategies to optimize operations, coordinating with supervisors and analysts in establishing guidelines, and addressing various issues, resolving them promptly and effectively. They must also manage budgets, schedule audits, monitor the progress of every operation, and recommend improvements as needed. Furthermore, as a configuration manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the team to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
A project leader is responsible for supervising the team and managing the distribution of tasks to ensure the project's success with the highest efficiency and accuracy. Duties of a project leader include motivating the team, managing the team's needs and concerns, providing effective strategies to improve the team's performance, creating reports, monitoring the team's progress, and maintaining the coordination between team members. A project leader should have exceptional leadership skills to handle the team's operation and identify areas of improvement to deliver excellent results.
Configuration managers and project leaders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Configuration Manager | Project Leader | |
| Average salary | $112,553 | $98,559 |
| Salary range | Between $77,000 And $164,000 | Between $70,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | NVIDIA | Boston Consulting Group |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Professional |
There are a few differences between a configuration manager and a project leader in terms of educational background:
| Configuration Manager | Project Leader | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between configuration managers' and project leaders' demographics:
| Configuration Manager | Project Leader | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% | Male, 69.0% Female, 31.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |