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The differences between product line 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 line manager and a marketing manager/project manager. Additionally, a product line manager has an average salary of $97,237, which is higher than the $78,368 average annual salary of a marketing manager/project manager.
The top three skills for a product line manager include product management, customer service and PLM. The most important skills for a marketing manager/project manager are project management, digital marketing, and marketing campaigns.
| Product Line Manager | Marketing Manager/Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $97,237 | $78,368 |
| Hourly rate | $46.75 | $37.68 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 158,908 | 187,949 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 10 |
A product line manager is an individual who provides product and market intelligence by increasing the market share of a company. Product line managers must create competitive analysis and interpret market trends so that they can provide recommendations and guidance to the company. They are required to identify target markets and should come up with strategies for market penetration. Product line managers must also monitor the creation and development of new products as well as to measure the success of the products in the market.
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 line managers and marketing manager/project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Line Manager | Marketing Manager/Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $97,237 | $78,368 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $178,000 | Between $56,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Carson City, NV |
| Highest paying state | California | Nevada |
| Best paying company | ON Semiconductor | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a product line manager and a marketing manager/project manager in terms of educational background:
| Product Line Manager | Marketing Manager/Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between product line managers' and marketing manager/project managers' demographics:
| Product Line Manager | Marketing Manager/Project Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.8% Female, 21.2% | 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% |