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The differences between managers, program management and portfolio managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a manager, program management and a portfolio manager. Additionally, a portfolio manager has an average salary of $114,671, which is higher than the $112,937 average annual salary of a manager, program management.
The top three skills for a manager, program management include project management, risk management and process improvement. The most important skills for a portfolio manager are portfolio management, customer service, and risk management.
| Manager, Program Management | Portfolio Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $112,937 | $114,671 |
| Hourly rate | $54.30 | $55.13 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 271,873 | 43,192 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 47 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
A program management manager is an individual who guides project managers and oversees and coordinates an organization's projects, products, and other strategic initiatives. The day-to-day responsibilities of a program manager include planning the overall program, managing the program's budget and the main program documents, and defining the program governance. The requirements to qualify for the program manager position including possessing a good managerial, business, and problem-solving skills and possessing a bachelor's or master's degree in business, management, or a related field.
A portfolio manager is responsible for managing the clients' investment portfolios to advise them of the best investment plans to achieve their financial goals and objectives. Portfolio managers determine the most suitable options by evaluating the clients' credit score and risk potential and the client's financial background. A portfolio manager should be highly knowledgeable and updated with the recent financial industry changes to decide on investment plans with maximum returns.
Managers, program management and portfolio managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manager, Program Management | Portfolio Manager | |
| Average salary | $112,937 | $114,671 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $155,000 | Between $66,000 And $198,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Stamford, CT |
| Highest paying state | California | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a manager, program management and a portfolio manager in terms of educational background:
| Manager, Program Management | Portfolio Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between managers, program management' and portfolio managers' demographics:
| Manager, Program Management | Portfolio Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.3% Female, 41.7% | Male, 66.6% Female, 33.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 10.0% Asian, 12.7% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 10.1% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |