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The differences between consultants in product development and product directors 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 director. Additionally, a product director has an average salary of $148,910, 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 director are product management, product strategy, and project management.
| Consultant In Product Development | Product Director | |
| Yearly salary | $111,727 | $148,910 |
| Hourly rate | $53.71 | $71.59 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 138,422 | 125,200 |
| 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.
The duties of a product director depend on one's place or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around overseeing the product development operations to ensure smooth flow and efficiency, devise strategies to improve processes, gather relevant data such as sales and customer feedback, and coordinate with different departments in developing new products and services. Furthermore, as a director, it is essential to lead and encourage departments to meet goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations, including its mission and vision.
Consultants in product development and product directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Consultant In Product Development | Product Director | |
| Average salary | $111,727 | $148,910 |
| Salary range | Between $81,000 And $153,000 | Between $104,000 And $212,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | ERM | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Internet |
There are a few differences between a consultant in product development and a product director in terms of educational background:
| Consultant In Product Development | Product Director | |
| 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 directors' demographics:
| Consultant In Product Development | Product Director | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.6% Female, 33.4% | Male, 72.4% Female, 27.6% |
| 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% |