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Product development manager vs development & program manager

The differences between product development managers and development & program 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 a development & program manager. Additionally, a product development manager has an average salary of $113,437, which is higher than the $102,824 average annual salary of a development & program manager.

The top three skills for a product development manager include product development, project management and lifecycle management. The most important skills for a development & program manager are professional development, project management, and program management.

Product development manager vs development & program manager overview

Product Development ManagerDevelopment & Program Manager
Yearly salary$113,437$102,824
Hourly rate$54.54$49.43
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs166,871186,222
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 73%Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age3939
Years of experience1010

What does a product development manager do?

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.

What does a development & program manager do?

The responsibilities of a development and program manager depend on one's place or industry of employment. Typically, they are in charge of overseeing the operations behind various projects and programs, ensuring everything is running smoothly and efficiently. They must also devise new strategies to improve workforce performance and services, identify new opportunities for profit growth, and determine the needs of clients. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the team in the joint effort to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

Product development manager vs development & program manager salary

Product development managers and development & program managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Product Development ManagerDevelopment & Program Manager
Average salary$113,437$102,824
Salary rangeBetween $84,000 And $152,000Between $76,000 And $137,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CAMenlo Park, CA
Highest paying stateNevadaCalifornia
Best paying companyMetaFoundation Medicine
Best paying industryRetailTechnology

Differences between product development manager and development & program manager education

There are a few differences between a product development manager and a development & program manager in terms of educational background:

Product Development ManagerDevelopment & Program Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 73%Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of GeorgiaUniversity of Georgia

Product development manager vs development & program manager demographics

Here are the differences between product development managers' and development & program managers' demographics:

Product Development ManagerDevelopment & Program Manager
Average age3939
Gender ratioMale, 62.2% Female, 37.8%Male, 58.3% Female, 41.7%
Race ratioBlack 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 Percentage10%10%

Differences between product development manager and development & program manager duties and responsibilities

Product development manager example responsibilities.

  • Used PLM tools to track, manage, and organize the development process.
  • Design front-end UX for e-tailor website, manage customer service tracking and CRM solutions.
  • Manage the entire development and implementation process for a $750K SaaS solution for education.
  • Lead acquisition of StudyinBritain.com, expanding client base to schools in the UK and Ireland.
  • Lead development of open API, blogs, custom video player, numerous sites, and internal applications.
  • Establish reliable and predictable agile process, with measure KPIs and quantitative metrics; manage release schedule and risk.
  • Show more

Development & program manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage PLM data integrity report and PLM post launch report by project.
  • Manage a budget of $600,000 each year to maintain annual KPIs.
  • Develop, establish, and manage product families OEM in and out relationships.
  • Shape the strategic direction and implement CRM strategies to manage a corporate loyalty program.
  • Manage the vendor selection process among OEM candidates and manage requirements lock down across vendors.
  • Manage direct and indirect sales channels and strategic partners within the Americas for new development products.
  • Show more

Product development manager vs development & program manager skills

Common product development manager skills
  • Product Development, 11%
  • Project Management, 9%
  • Lifecycle Management, 7%
  • Product Management, 6%
  • R, 5%
  • Customer Service, 4%
Common development & program manager skills
  • Professional Development, 22%
  • Project Management, 10%
  • Program Management, 8%
  • Business Development, 4%
  • HR, 4%
  • Program Development, 3%

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