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The differences between portfolio managers and project managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a portfolio manager has an average salary of $114,671, which is higher than the $91,578 average annual salary of a project manager.
The top three skills for a portfolio manager include portfolio management, customer service and risk management. The most important skills for a project manager are project management, project scope, and customer service.
| Portfolio Manager | Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $114,671 | $91,578 |
| Hourly rate | $55.13 | $44.03 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 43,192 | 167,116 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.17 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 46 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 8 | - |
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.
Project managers oversee a specific project related to the organization's business. They manage the whole project from inception to evaluation. They initiate planning with involved departments, follow-through on the plans, ensure smooth execution of the plans, and evaluate the project for further improvements should these be needed. In line with this, project managers also ensure that the project is cost-efficient and well within the budget. They also manage the different work teams involved in the project and ensure that things are running smoothly on this aspect as well.
Portfolio managers and project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Portfolio Manager | Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $114,671 | $91,578 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $198,000 | Between $64,000 And $129,000 |
| Highest paying City | Stamford, CT | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a portfolio manager and a project manager in terms of educational background:
| Portfolio Manager | Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between portfolio managers' and project managers' demographics:
| Portfolio Manager | Project Manager | |
| Average age | 46 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.6% Female, 33.4% | Male, 68.9% Female, 31.1% |
| 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, 7.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.0% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 10% |