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The differences between development directors and product development managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a development director, becoming a product development manager takes usually requires 8-10 years. Additionally, a product development manager has an average salary of $113,437, which is higher than the $107,044 average annual salary of a development director.
The top three skills for a development director include digital marketing, oversight and patients. The most important skills for a product development manager are product development, project management, and lifecycle management.
| Development Director | Product Development Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $107,044 | $113,437 |
| Hourly rate | $51.46 | $54.54 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 63,008 | 166,871 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 10 |
A development director is an individual who is responsible for securing funds and sponsors for non-profit organizations. Development directors must actively seek new business partners and develop relationships with volunteers and donors. They meet with members of the development team to help advertise and promote brand awareness and funding. Development directors must possess skills and experience in managing human resources, marketing, and budgeting functions. They must also obtain a bachelor's degree in business management, public relations, or related field.
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.
Development directors and product development managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Development Director | Product Development Manager | |
| Average salary | $107,044 | $113,437 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $177,000 | Between $84,000 And $152,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Cornerstone Research | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | Retail |
There are a few differences between a development director and a product development manager in terms of educational background:
| Development Director | Product Development Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between development directors' and product development managers' demographics:
| Development Director | Product Development Manager | |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.2% Female, 49.8% | Male, 62.2% Female, 37.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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 | 16% | 10% |