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The differences between product developers and project developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 8-10 years to become a product developer, becoming a project developer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a project developer has an average salary of $89,766, which is higher than the $88,629 average annual salary of a product developer.
The top three skills for a product developer include product development, R and develop user. The most important skills for a project developer are project development, renewable energy, and project management.
| Product Developer | Project Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $88,629 | $89,766 |
| Hourly rate | $42.61 | $43.16 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 147,035 | 303,850 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 4 |
A product developer is responsible for creating the designs of an industrial product based on the client's specifications and budget requirements. Product developers work closely with the whole design team to strategize and execute plans within the agreed timeframe. Product developers must be updated with the current industry trends, developing designs that would be competitive in the market, boosting the company's brand image to attract potential clients, and generate more revenues. A product developer should have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, as well as utilizing various software tools to create high-quality designs.
Project developers research aspects of each project to check that it follows all regulations and to complete the project on time and under the budget. They are responsible for overseeing various projects for their companies. They staff the project and make necessary purchases. Staffing could include hiring contractors and hiring new employees for the company. Their tasks are to report and resolve issues blocking work on project elements, develop project timeline and milestones with mitigation planning, and establish critical requirements of a project through stakeholder assessment.
Product developers and project developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Developer | Project Developer | |
| Average salary | $88,629 | $89,766 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $123,000 | Between $67,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Amazon |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a product developer and a project developer in terms of educational background:
| Product Developer | Project Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between product developers' and project developers' demographics:
| Product Developer | Project Developer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.1% Female, 38.9% | Male, 68.5% Female, 31.5% |
| 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, 4.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 8% |