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The differences between principal product managers and product line managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 8-10 years to become both a principal product manager and a product line manager. Additionally, a principal product manager has an average salary of $145,943, which is higher than the $97,237 average annual salary of a product line manager.
The top three skills for a principal product manager include product management, QA and product development. The most important skills for a product line manager are product management, customer service, and PLM.
| Principal Product Manager | Product Line Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $145,943 | $97,237 |
| Hourly rate | $70.16 | $46.75 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 143,985 | 158,908 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 10 |
The duties of a principal product manager depend on one's place or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around overseeing the organization's product roadmap, devising strategies for optimal operations and services, and managing production and marketing communications. They must also coordinate with different research scientists and engineers to develop systems and networks that will increase profitability and assist in meeting consumers' needs. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage teams, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
A product line manager is an individual who provides product and market intelligence by increasing the market share of a company. Product line managers must create competitive analysis and interpret market trends so that they can provide recommendations and guidance to the company. They are required to identify target markets and should come up with strategies for market penetration. Product line managers must also monitor the creation and development of new products as well as to measure the success of the products in the market.
Principal product managers and product line managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Product Manager | Product Line Manager | |
| Average salary | $145,943 | $97,237 |
| Salary range | Between $106,000 And $199,000 | Between $52,000 And $178,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Brex | ON Semiconductor |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Energy |
There are a few differences between a principal product manager and a product line manager in terms of educational background:
| Principal Product Manager | Product Line Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between principal product managers' and product line managers' demographics:
| Principal Product Manager | Product Line Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.9% Female, 26.1% | Male, 78.8% Female, 21.2% |
| 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, 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 | 10% | 10% |