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The differences between consultants in product development and directors of product development 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 director of product development. Additionally, a director of product development has an average salary of $140,507, which is higher than the $111,727 average annual salary of a consultant in product development.
The top three skills for a consultant in product development include cycle management, business development and product development. The most important skills for a director of product development are product development, project management, and product management.
| Consultant In Product Development | Director Of Product Development | |
| Yearly salary | $111,727 | $140,507 |
| Hourly rate | $53.71 | $67.55 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 138,422 | 175,429 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| 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 Director of Product Development supervises and implements product development policies, initiatives, and objectives. They conduct market research to determine consumer needs and identify competitors.
Consultants in product development and directors of product development have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Consultant In Product Development | Director Of Product Development | |
| Average salary | $111,727 | $140,507 |
| Salary range | Between $81,000 And $153,000 | Between $100,000 And $196,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | ERM | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a consultant in product development and a director of product development in terms of educational background:
| Consultant In Product Development | Director Of Product Development | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between consultants in product development' and directors of product development' demographics:
| Consultant In Product Development | Director Of Product Development | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.6% Female, 33.4% | Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0% |
| 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% |