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The differences between consultants in product development and development managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 8-10 years to become both a consultant in product development and a development manager. Additionally, a consultant in product development has an average salary of $111,727, which is higher than the $110,678 average annual salary of a development manager.
The top three skills for a consultant in product development include cycle management, business development and product development. The most important skills for a development manager are project management, customer service, and patients.
| Consultant In Product Development | Development Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $111,727 | $110,678 |
| Hourly rate | $53.71 | $53.21 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 138,422 | 111,137 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 10 |
Product development consultants create products with enhanced or additional features to help their clients remain competitive. They evaluate the proposed designs of products before advising their team to start its development. Their jobs are mainly to report on actions to improve the product proposals and give constructive criticisms regarding the staff's performance during meetings or group huddles. They must also have strong written and verbal communication skills, knowledge in product development processes, and detail orientation to perform the duties of the job well.
A development manager is responsible for assisting existing clients or potential clients of the services they need. A development manager serves as the initial point of contact for the clients to answer their inquiries and concerns before proceeding with a contract. Development managers usually arrange meetings with clients, analyze business opportunities, improve marketing initiatives to attract clients, research the industry's latest trends, create proposals, and assist in training new staff members. A development manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills to handle staff performance and build professional relationships with clients.
Consultants in product development and development managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Consultant In Product Development | Development Manager | |
| Average salary | $111,727 | $110,678 |
| Salary range | Between $81,000 And $153,000 | Between $76,000 And $159,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | ERM | Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Technology |
There are a few differences between a consultant in product development and a development manager in terms of educational background:
| Consultant In Product Development | Development Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between consultants in product development' and development managers' demographics:
| Consultant In Product Development | Development Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.6% Female, 33.4% | Male, 60.5% Female, 39.5% |
| 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% |