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The differences between managers, project director and senior project managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a senior project manager has an average salary of $110,947, which is higher than the $104,614 average annual salary of a manager, project director.
The top three skills for a manager, project director include project management, infrastructure and construction management. The most important skills for a senior project manager are project management, program management, and portfolio.
| Manager, Project Director | Senior Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $104,614 | $110,947 |
| Hourly rate | $50.30 | $53.34 |
| Growth rate | - | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 162,781 | 183,210 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A manager, project director monitors building progress, oversees finances, and ensures project quality. They make strategic decisions and provide leadership and direct project managers with feedback to put those decisions into practice. Project directors update project managers, stakeholders, and clients about project progress. Besides building robust working relationships and liaising with clients, these professionals also enable successful project completion by creating cost-effective plans. Manager, project directors manage risks to prevent reputational damage and delays. Moreover, these professionals ensure legal papers and permits get secured before starting the project.
Senior project managers are experienced employees assigned to oversee a specific project in the organization. They manage the project from conception to execution. They are onboard the project from the ideation phase, providing valuable insights to ensure the success of the project. Senior project managers are also in charge of managing the budget, ensuring that the expected timelines are followed, adjusting strategies when needed, and guiding project team members. It is important for senior project managers to be good leaders and communicators. They should be able to balance the interests of all the stakeholders involved in the project. They should have good interpersonal skills and decision-making skills.
Managers, project director and senior project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manager, Project Director | Senior Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $104,614 | $110,947 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $161,000 | Between $82,000 And $148,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Cambridge Associates | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a manager, project director and a senior project manager in terms of educational background:
| Manager, Project Director | Senior Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between managers, project director' and senior project managers' demographics:
| Manager, Project Director | Senior Project Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.8% Female, 30.2% | Male, 71.4% Female, 28.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 8.8% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 8.8% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |