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The differences between creative project managers 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 creative project manager and a product development manager. Additionally, a product development manager has an average salary of $113,437, which is higher than the $75,415 average annual salary of a creative project manager.
The top three skills for a creative project manager include digital marketing, creative projects and creative services. The most important skills for a product development manager are product development, project management, and lifecycle management.
| Creative Project Manager | Product Development Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $75,415 | $113,437 |
| Hourly rate | $36.26 | $54.54 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 159,224 | 166,871 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 10 |
Creative Project Managers oversee specific projects in the company. They work in the creative industry, usually with artists. These artists include graphic designers, art directors, photographers, and the like. They ensure project completion and proper coordination between different teams. Due to the nature of the creative industry, they should adapt to changes and be flexible. Creative Project Managers are expected to have extensive experience working in the creative industry and with different artists in the industry. This experience would help them navigate and complete projects.
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.
Creative project managers and product development managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Creative Project Manager | Product Development Manager | |
| Average salary | $75,415 | $113,437 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $110,000 | Between $84,000 And $152,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between a creative project manager and a product development manager in terms of educational background:
| Creative Project Manager | Product Development Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Business |
| Most common college | University of Wisconsin - Madison | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between creative project managers' and product development managers' demographics:
| Creative Project Manager | Product Development Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.5% Female, 58.5% | 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% |