Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between portfolio managers and product managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a portfolio manager, becoming a product manager takes usually requires 8-10 years. Additionally, a portfolio manager has an average salary of $114,671, which is higher than the $111,729 average annual salary of a product manager.
The top three skills for a portfolio manager include portfolio management, customer service and risk management. The most important skills for a product manager are product management, QA, and product strategy.
| Portfolio Manager | Product Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $114,671 | $111,729 |
| Hourly rate | $55.13 | $53.72 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 43,192 | 125,678 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 46 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 10 |
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.
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.
Portfolio managers and product managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Portfolio Manager | Product Manager | |
| Average salary | $114,671 | $111,729 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $198,000 | Between $81,000 And $152,000 |
| Highest paying City | Stamford, CT | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Retail |
There are a few differences between a portfolio manager and a product manager in terms of educational background:
| Portfolio Manager | Product Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between portfolio managers' and product managers' demographics:
| Portfolio Manager | Product Manager | |
| Average age | 46 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.6% Female, 33.4% | Male, 65.3% Female, 34.7% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |