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The differences between product management directors and production managers 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 management director, becoming a production manager takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a product management director has an average salary of $156,724, which is higher than the $78,064 average annual salary of a production manager.
The top three skills for a product management director include product management, product strategy and cloud. The most important skills for a production manager are continuous improvement, customer service, and quality standards.
| Product Management Director | Production Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $156,724 | $78,064 |
| Hourly rate | $75.35 | $37.53 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 170,460 | 95,561 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 39 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 2 |
A Product Management Director is responsible for a business product planning as well as execution throughout the life cycle of the business. They create the product strategy and requirements, develop and execute tactical plans, and maintain product and market knowledge.
Production managers work in show business, whether in film, television shows, or theatre productions. They oversee the whole production and ensure that all agreements are met. They manage finances and budget allocation. They oversee the design of costumes and sets. They also manage the timeline of filming and ensure that the production or filming will finish within the agreed timeline. Production managers also ensure that all stakeholders are satisfied. They build meaningful working relationships with everyone involved, from directors to actors to crew members. They try to mitigate any potential challenges in the production budget and schedule.
Product management directors and production managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Management Director | Production Manager | |
| Average salary | $156,724 | $78,064 |
| Salary range | Between $112,000 And $219,000 | Between $50,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Meta | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a product management director and a production manager in terms of educational background:
| Product Management Director | Production Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between product management directors' and production managers' demographics:
| Product Management Director | Production Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.1% Female, 22.9% | Male, 76.6% Female, 23.4% |
| 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, 11.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 6% |