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The differences between product design managers and marketing manager/project 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 product design manager and a marketing manager/project manager. Additionally, a product design manager has an average salary of $133,190, which is higher than the $78,368 average annual salary of a marketing manager/project manager.
The top three skills for a product design manager include product design, user research and sketch. The most important skills for a marketing manager/project manager are project management, digital marketing, and marketing campaigns.
| Product Design Manager | Marketing Manager/Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $133,190 | $78,368 |
| Hourly rate | $64.03 | $37.68 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 146,576 | 187,949 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 10 |
A product design manager typically works with engineers and specialists in the joint effort to develop high-quality standard products. As a product design manager, they are responsible for managing product design teams, understanding and identifying a project's needs, performing research and analysis, setting objectives and guidelines, liaising with external parties, and presenting prototypes for client approval. Moreover, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage staff to reach product goals while enforcing the company's policies and regulations.
A marketing manager/project manager oversees a company's marketing programs and projects, aiming to attract more customers and increase the brand value of a business, product, or service. They primarily perform market research and assessments to identify marketing trends and opportunities, gather and analyze data to generate business leads, study the consumer and competitors in the industry, and identify the weaknesses and strengths of existing marketing projects, utilizing information to enhance operations. Additionally, a marketing manager/project manager leads operations and empowers staff while implementing company policies and industry standards.
Product design managers and marketing manager/project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Design Manager | Marketing Manager/Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $133,190 | $78,368 |
| Salary range | Between $91,000 And $193,000 | Between $56,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Carson City, NV |
| Highest paying state | California | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a product design manager and a marketing manager/project manager in terms of educational background:
| Product Design Manager | Marketing Manager/Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Business |
| Most common college | University of Wisconsin - Madison | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between product design managers' and marketing manager/project managers' demographics:
| Product Design Manager | Marketing Manager/Project Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8% | Male, 38.1% Female, 61.9% |
| 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% |