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The differences between creative project managers and product line 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 line manager. Additionally, a product line manager has an average salary of $97,237, 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 line manager are product management, customer service, and PLM.
| Creative Project Manager | Product Line Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $75,415 | $97,237 |
| Hourly rate | $36.26 | $46.75 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 159,224 | 158,908 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| 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 line manager is an individual who provides product and market intelligence by increasing the market share of a company. Product line managers must create competitive analysis and interpret market trends so that they can provide recommendations and guidance to the company. They are required to identify target markets and should come up with strategies for market penetration. Product line managers must also monitor the creation and development of new products as well as to measure the success of the products in the market.
Creative project managers and product line managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Creative Project Manager | Product Line Manager | |
| Average salary | $75,415 | $97,237 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $110,000 | Between $52,000 And $178,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | ON Semiconductor |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a creative project manager and a product line manager in terms of educational background:
| Creative Project Manager | Product Line Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| 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 line managers' demographics:
| Creative Project Manager | Product Line Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.5% Female, 58.5% | Male, 78.8% Female, 21.2% |
| 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% |