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The differences between product development specialists and product developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a product development specialist, becoming a product developer takes usually requires 8-10 years. Additionally, a product developer has an average salary of $88,629, which is higher than the $70,820 average annual salary of a product development specialist.
The top three skills for a product development specialist include product development, project management and R. The most important skills for a product developer are product development, R, and develop user.
| Product Development Specialist | Product Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $70,820 | $88,629 |
| Hourly rate | $34.05 | $42.61 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 120,487 | 147,035 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 37 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 10 |
A product development specialist's role is to facilitate the development of efficient and high-quality products in a company. Their responsibilities typically revolve around performing research and analysis to create business plans, devising strategies to optimize procedures, overseeing the workflow and the performance of the workforce, and establishing guidelines as needed. Furthermore, as a product development specialist, it is essential to coordinate and maintain an active communication line with the rest of the workforce, all while implementing the company's policies and goals.
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.
Product development specialists and product developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Development Specialist | Product Developer | |
| Average salary | $70,820 | $88,629 |
| Salary range | Between $42,000 And $117,000 | Between $63,000 And $123,000 |
| Highest paying City | Piscataway, NJ | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | California |
| Best paying company | Bloomberg | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a product development specialist and a product developer in terms of educational background:
| Product Development Specialist | Product Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between product development specialists' and product developers' demographics:
| Product Development Specialist | Product Developer | |
| Average age | 37 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.6% Female, 50.4% | Male, 61.1% Female, 38.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 13.7% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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% |