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The differences between product development managers and associate product 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 development manager and an associate product manager. Additionally, a product development manager has an average salary of $113,437, which is higher than the $89,963 average annual salary of an associate product manager.
The top three skills for a product development manager include product development, project management and lifecycle management. The most important skills for an associate product manager are product management, project management, and user stories.
| Product Development Manager | Associate Product Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $113,437 | $89,963 |
| Hourly rate | $54.54 | $43.25 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 166,871 | 107,763 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 10 |
A product development manager spearheads the development of new products within a company. Most of the time, their responsibilities revolve around conducting marketing research and analysis to determine consumers' needs, coordinating with the product development team to come up with new ideas, proposing business plans to the executives, and creating prototypes. A product development manager must also present a cost analysis, produce progress reports, and address inquiries and concerns. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the staff, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
An associate product manager is someone who assists the product development teams in the development of new product features. The duties of an associate include formulation of product strategies, collection of quantitative product data, and interpretation of consumer feedback. The requirements to qualify for the position include a bachelor's degree in computer science, marketing, business management, or a related field, the ability to maintain strong customer relations, and excellent communication skills.
Product development managers and associate product managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Development Manager | Associate Product Manager | |
| Average salary | $113,437 | $89,963 |
| Salary range | Between $84,000 And $152,000 | Between $65,000 And $122,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a product development manager and an associate product manager in terms of educational background:
| Product Development Manager | Associate Product Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between product development managers' and associate product managers' demographics:
| Product Development Manager | Associate Product Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.2% Female, 37.8% | Male, 45.0% Female, 55.0% |
| 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% |