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The differences between consultants in product development and product 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 product development manager. Additionally, a product development manager has an average salary of $113,437, 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 product development manager are product development, project management, and lifecycle management.
| Consultant In Product Development | Product Development Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $111,727 | $113,437 |
| Hourly rate | $53.71 | $54.54 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 138,422 | 166,871 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| 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 product development manager spearheads the development of new products within a company. Most of the time, their responsibilities revolve around conducting marketing research and analysis to determine consumers' needs, coordinating with the product development team to come up with new ideas, proposing business plans to the executives, and creating prototypes. A product development manager must also present a cost analysis, produce progress reports, and address inquiries and concerns. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the staff, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
Consultants in product development and product development managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Consultant In Product Development | Product Development Manager | |
| Average salary | $111,727 | $113,437 |
| Salary range | Between $81,000 And $153,000 | Between $84,000 And $152,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Nevada |
| Best paying company | ERM | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Retail |
There are a few differences between a consultant in product development and a product development manager in terms of educational background:
| Consultant In Product Development | Product Development Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between consultants in product development' and product development managers' demographics:
| Consultant In Product Development | Product Development Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.6% Female, 33.4% | Male, 62.2% Female, 37.8% |
| 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% |