Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between planning managers and consultant/project managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a consultant/project manager has an average salary of $100,754, which is higher than the $98,486 average annual salary of a planning manager.
The top three skills for a planning manager include project management, customer service and strong analytical. The most important skills for a consultant/project manager are project management, project scope, and business development.
| Planning Manager | Consultant/Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $98,486 | $100,754 |
| Hourly rate | $47.35 | $48.44 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 137,190 | 213,963 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 10 | - |
Planning managers perform various duties and responsibilities for an organization. These include planning and monitoring a project or department's budget, production schedule, and inventory, creating reports of new plans, programs, and regulations, and ensuring development proposals comply with requirements and regulations. Additionally, planning managers are expected to serve as an intermediary between developers, government entities, businesses, and communities. They also oversee site plans, rezoning, and special-use permits, set schedules for the project, and supervise other personnel such as developers and consultants.
Consultants/project managers act as planners, leaders, and advisors in business enterprises. These professionals facilitate meetings and establish positive relationships with vendors, management, and clients. They make customer visits, maintain industry knowledge, procure third-party software and hardware, and deliver projects. It is also part of their duty to manage complex initiatives in an individual business unit or organization. Their skills include analytical, time and cost management, problem-solving, interpersonal skills, and proficiency in project management software.
Planning managers and consultant/project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Planning Manager | Consultant/Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $98,486 | $100,754 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $135,000 | Between $74,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Hartford, CT |
| Highest paying state | California | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | ZS | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a planning manager and a consultant/project manager in terms of educational background:
| Planning Manager | Consultant/Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between planning managers' and consultant/project managers' demographics:
| Planning Manager | Consultant/Project Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.1% Female, 35.9% | Male, 65.4% Female, 34.6% |
| 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, 7.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 9.0% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |