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The differences between consultants in product development and product leads 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 lead. Additionally, a product lead has an average salary of $118,828, 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 lead are product management, project management, and architecture.
| Consultant In Product Development | Product Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $111,727 | $118,828 |
| Hourly rate | $53.71 | $57.13 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 138,422 | 95,557 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| 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 lead is responsible for monitoring the development of new products and services of an organization, starting from brand conceptualization to official market release and distribution. Product leads identify effective product management by conducting data analysis and evaluating market statistics of customer demands. They coordinate with the clients on their specifications and requirements, including the budget limit and timely deliverables. A product lead manages the brand promotion on media platforms, creating content that adheres to the target audience.
Consultants in product development and product leads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Consultant In Product Development | Product Lead | |
| Average salary | $111,727 | $118,828 |
| Salary range | Between $81,000 And $153,000 | Between $86,000 And $163,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | ERM | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a consultant in product development and a product lead in terms of educational background:
| Consultant In Product Development | Product Lead | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| 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 leads' demographics:
| Consultant In Product Development | Product Lead | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.6% Female, 33.4% | Male, 71.1% Female, 28.9% |
| 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% |