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The differences between game designers and product 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 game designer, becoming a product manager takes usually requires 8-10 years. Additionally, a product manager has an average salary of $111,729, which is higher than the $87,645 average annual salary of a game designer.
The top three skills for a game designer include unity, UI and game development. The most important skills for a product manager are product management, QA, and product strategy.
| Game Designer | Product Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $87,645 | $111,729 |
| Hourly rate | $42.14 | $53.72 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 45,227 | 125,678 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 10 |
A video game designer is responsible for making a concept of a video game and creating the storylines, scenarios, maps, character development, user interfaces, and in-game objectives. Typical responsibilities include adding computer scripting using computer software, which will then generate events, objects, commands, and characters that end-users can choose from to interact with during the game. Additionally, you will write code using different computer programming languages and designing characters, animation, and levels. To become a successful video game designer, you must be creative, innovative, and ambitious.
A product manager is responsible for ensuring product development, providing the best marketing strategies, and effectively handling the sales and marketing team. Product managers' duties include monitoring the market trends and conditions, identifying business opportunities and plan initiatives, and collaborating the product launch process with the appropriate departments. A product manager is also responsible for generating ideas on improving product features, determining timetables and reasonable pricing, and analyzing product sales. A product manager must have excellent strategic and decision-making skills to contribute to its growth and profitability.
Game designers and product managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Game Designer | Product Manager | |
| Average salary | $87,645 | $111,729 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $127,000 | Between $81,000 And $152,000 |
| Highest paying City | Reno, NV | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between a game designer and a product manager in terms of educational background:
| Game Designer | Product Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between game designers' and product managers' demographics:
| Game Designer | Product Manager | |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.2% Female, 11.8% | Male, 65.3% Female, 34.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | 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 | 11% | 10% |