Q: Can you become a product manager without a degree?

No, you can't become a product manager without a degree. The role of a product manager requires a minimum of a bachelor's degree in business or a related field. Related degree fields may include marketing, economics, and advertising. Often product managers hold advanced degrees such as an MBA or specific certifications.

Question 1

Product Manager vs. Product Marketing Manager

Accepted Answer

A product manager is responsible for leading the creation of a product, while the product marketing manager is responsible for leading the go-to-market for that product.

A product manager is usually responsible for setting the product vision including creating the product roadmap. They identify which customer pain points to target and articulate the business value of the product. They manage the stakeholders and ensure the product aligns with their product strategy.

Question 2

Product Manager vs. Software Engineer

Accepted Answer

A product manager is responsible for understanding a user's needs, setting the product roadmap, and designing deliverables, while a software engineer does the designing, coding, and execution of software.

Question 3

How hard is it to become a product manager?

Accepted Answer

Becoming a product manager can be challenging as it requires a combination of technical knowledge, business acumen, and strong interpersonal skills.

One aspect that makes becoming a product manager difficult is the need to acquire a diverse skill set. Product managers often have backgrounds in business, engineering, or design, and this requires a strong understanding of these disciplines to effectively manage a product from conception to completion.

Question 4

How long does it take to become a Product Manager?

Accepted Answer

It takes 6 years of professional experience to become a product manager. That is the time it takes to learn specific product manager skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 9 to 11 years years to become a product manager.

Question 5

Can you become a product manager without a degree?

Accepted Answer

No, you can't become a product manager without a degree. The role of a product manager requires a minimum of a bachelor's degree in business or a related field. Related degree fields may include marketing, economics, and advertising. Often product managers hold advanced degrees such as an MBA or specific certifications.

Question 6

How to get a product manager job?

Accepted Answer

To get a product manager job you need to get a degree, gain entry-level experience, develop the necessary skills, build your network, get certified, and look for jobs in your desired industry. In the competitive world of product management, you will need to stay agile, keep your roadmap in sight, and prioritize your features to stand out as a top candidate for the job. With the right steps and frame of mind, you can one day be leading a product development cycle of your own.

Question 7

Is product management a good career?

Accepted Answer

Yes, product management is a good career because it is in high demand, is challenging, and is well-paying.

One of the reasons for both the high demand and high salaries Product Managers enjoy is that the combination of hard and soft skills makes it especially hard to find candidates that are a good fit. Successful product management doesn't begin with a product; it begins with a deep understanding of the marketplace and its trends.

Question 8

What are careers in product management?

Accepted Answer

Associate product manager, product manager, and senior product manager are careers in product management and the typical career path that one would follow.

Associate Product Manager
Associate product managers are the typical entry-level position for this career field. Associate product managers report to a product manager.
The day-to-day responsibilities will overlap with that of a product manager on a smaller scale. You don't choose your own assignments, but you will have ownership of them. Responsibilities may include:
- Data analysis
  UI design
  Defining features
  Making recommendations
This is an entry-level role, so it is designed to be a chance to learn the ropes and demonstrate your ability to learn from the higher-ups. It is important that you listen and understand the customer and the product market. You need to highlight your ability to have empathy for the user and identify issues.
Hiring managers are also looking for associate product managers to understand what product management is and to have a clear passion for helping their clients. Prove that you can work well with others and hear all sides of a story. Showcase that you are able to synthesize and assess different perspectives before making a decision.
Product Manager
A product manager is a mid-level role. While product managers don't necessarily have to have a direct product management background, they should have professional experience and demonstrable skills in communication, leadership, and strategy. Product managers are responsible for the strategy, roadmap, and features of a product.
The product manager will be the "go-to" person for other teams regarding the product. You will be consulted for advice on the process, relationships, and development of the product, and you will need to be well informed about all stages and data at all times.
You will need to be able to work with cross-functional teams, including UX, engineering, and marketing, to conduct accurate data analysis, forecasting, and market research. The role is both strategic and tactical and requires strong leadership, collaboration, and product knowledge.
Product manager responsibilities can include:
- Developing innovative, industry-leading features and products
- Identifying opportunities and scoping them
- Driving strategies, tactics, and delivery timelines
- Inspiring cross-functional teammates and building strong relationships
- Delivering excellent products and services
- Influencing key stakeholders and ensuring resources and priorities align
Senior Product Manager
A senior product manager shares similar responsibilities as the product manager but on a higher level. People in these roles typically have a solid background in product management, and they will be used to manage higher-value products. They may also act as the liaison between the leadership team and the product management teams.
At this level, you are expected to be able to think on your feet and be fully accountable for your product teams. You are also expected to make data-driven decisions that are based on complex and interdependent factors. This requires deep knowledge and understanding of the products and the market.
You should also have mastery over the three product management communication streams:
1. Horizontal communication streams: This communication stream is the one that product managers will typically use the most. Product managers will spend most of their time communicating across the organization with cross-functional team members.
  Horizontal streams refer to communications with fellow team members and other internal teams. These communications are usually regarding implementation and execution. Team members need to know what to do and why they need to do it.
2. Vertical communication streams: This communication stream is due to the nuances of being a product manager. In most organizations, a product manager is not an executive and, therefore, will need to communicate information up to the senior leadership level.
  Similarly, a product manager will have an elevated role compared with many others in the organization. This means that you will have to communicate information to your other teammates and coworkers.
  With this type of communication, it is important to provide the information in the most efficient way possible. In most cases, the executive team is primarily concerned with the aspects directly impacting their own goals and responsibilities. Drill down into what matters and offer it up in the simplest terms.
3. External communication streams: This communication stream refers to the occasions where you will have to communicate with parties outside of the company. This could be interactions with the customers, potential users, or business partners.
  It is important to note that the information that is shared outside of the company needs to be thought through very carefully. Outside parties don't care about why things are built or how things are getting done. Their interest is in the status updates and when they can expect their deliverables.
  Avoid providing too many details or providing information that is too specific. This can be especially problematic if the product runs into delays or issues.
There are additional steps beyond a senior product manager, including VP of Products and Chief Product Officer. With positions like these in high demand, the sky is really the limit in this career field.

Question 9

What is a product manager in tech?

Accepted Answer

A product manager in tech is a professional who oversees the development, creation, testing, and maintenance of a technology-based product, such as computer software or an application.

A technical product manager is someone that has technical expertise that focuses on the technical needs of products.

Technical product managers are required to have technical expertise in a certain field. This can be fields like software engineering, information technologies, as well as many others. They use their expertise to lead the development team in the conception, development, and creation of a product.

They also work on product prioritization, product strategy, product lifecycle, and product development.

A product manager is a professional who oversees a technology-based product from creation to selling. In other words, a product manager supervises the entire journey of the product. From the conception, development, creation, marketing, and then the selling of the product.

A product manager is also the professional who makes the final decisions concerning a product. They gather information from the team working under them, including product analysts, and decide the specific plans for a product. They are also very involved in determining the target consumer base for a product.

Question 10

What is the career path for a product manager?

Accepted Answer

The career path for a product manager includes jobs as an associate product manager, a product manager, and a senior product manager.

The career path to being a product manager starts with education. Most product managers have at least a bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or another related field. Some also hold advanced degrees in these areas.

During college prospective product managers should be sure to take coursework in communications, economics, public relations, statistics, management, and advertising.

Product managers might also have specialized educational backgrounds if they manage products for highly specific industries, such as agriculture or the software industry. If you know what industry you want to be a product manager in, you should plan your academic career accordingly. Internship programs are also strongly encouraged in this field to gain professional experience and build out your resume.

There is a standard career path for product managers, however, certain organizations don't strictly adhere to this trajectory. Companies might have job titles that sound like they don't have to do directly with product management, when in fact they do. Some of these job titles include delivery manager, program manager, and project manager.

At certain companies, these job titles actually represent a product manager and their specific responsibilities. This is just to give you a sense of other job titles you may encounter in your own specific career path in product management.

Here is the standard career path for a product manager from the lowest role to the highest role:

Associate Product Manager. This position has many of the same responsibilities as a product manager, just on a smaller scale. You are likely not going to set the product strategy, but you will set priorities for specific projects.
Presenting product plans to others in the company, and keeping all necessary parties updated are standard tasks in this role. Critical background experience to gain this role includes product marketing or project management experience, however, fresh college graduates are sometimes able to obtain this role as well.
Product Manager. This is a mid-level role in product management. When you are the product manager, you are the point person for the product team associated with your product.
To achieve this position you should have a few years of professional experience, either as an associate product manager, or another similar role. You'll need to have a strong skill set in the areas of communication, collaboration, prioritization, and problem-solving.
Senior Product Manager. To move into this position your company must be confident in your job performance as a product manager and recognize that you are ambitious, and want to assist the team in accomplishing broader goals.
You should be able to articulate specific customer concerns and problems, give solutions, and tie product metrics to your company's business goals. You should also have gained the respect of all applicable departments, these might include engineering, UX, and marketing.
Senior product managers must demonstrate a mastery of the three product manager communication streams. This role is usually only given to those that have at least five years of experience in product management.
Director of Product. To gain this job title you will need to have demonstrated clear leadership skills, adaptability, and an exemplary record as a product manager or senior product manager.
Larger companies often reserve this role for those with 10+ years of professional experience in product management, while smaller companies sometimes hire professionals with 5+ years of product management experience. Product directors are mentors and critical resources for product management teams. They also often are the ones in charge of specific product strategies.
Vice President (VP) of Product. This is the penultimate role on the product management career path. Nearly all VP of Product positions require 10+ years of work experience in product management. Five-plus years managing and leading product managers, designers, and developers. Also multiple years of working with engineering teams.
Many in this position also possess a master's degree or specifically an MBA. Much of this position has to do with making sure all operations are currently running smoothly, and then also forecasting, and preparing for where teams need to be in a year's time.
Chief Product Officer (CPO). Not all companies have a CPO position, but this is one of the highest roles you can achieve on the product management career path at certain organizations. Sometimes this position is an expanded variation of the VP of Product role, and in other cases it represents a position that oversees many VPs of Product.
Depending on the industry, and your specific company, this role can be reserved for those with 10+ to 15+ years of professional experience, or even as much as 20+ years of product management experience.

There are many critical hard skills and soft people skills that are associated with product management. Here we will go over some of the most important ones that will help you to advance along the product manager career path:

Product development processes
A solid understanding of the position and product development processes, protocol, and frameworks is critical. Product managers must be well-versed in the vocabulary and terminology of their profession. They must be able to understand the expectations and know the scope of their job in comparison to project managers, UX professionals, architects, and other key roles.
Pricing principles
These fundamental business and economic policies are essential knowledge for product managers. Pricing is a duty that often falls under a product manager's responsibility. They must be able to turn the underlying product economics into a successful, profitable, and expandable business.
Prioritizing
Prioritizing is at the core of every product manager's job. They must be able to evaluate the value and potential impact of each feature, technical debt, project, and product initiative. This helps them to develop expert and cohesive strategies, which are crucial to the role.
Communication
Communication skills, both written and verbal, are essential qualities of a good product manager. They need to be comfortable speaking with all different types of employees, departments, executives, and stakeholders. They also must excel at customer and user communications.
Communication of vision, strategy, and reasoning is a constant facet of the role. Because they need to have frequent contact with many different types of personalities, product managers must be savvy communicators.
Leadership
Leadership is another skill set and quality a product manager must have. They must speak with confidence to their product teams, as well as executives and stakeholders. All of these parties must have a deep amount of respect and trust in the product manager if they are to be successful.
Analytical
Product managers must possess strong analytical skills. They need to be able to decipher different forms of information, data, and surveys, to then make competent decisions for plans of action.

Now we'll go over some certifications you should seek to obtain to have success on the product manager career path:

The Product Manager Certificate. Product School's Product Management Certification Programs offer three separate product management certifications that are designed to be taken sequentially. The first is the Product Manager Certificate, and it is a great one for students looking to jump-start their careers in the field of product management.
The Product Leader Certificate. This is the next one from Product School and requires professional experience and competence in areas like DevOps, data analytics, and other hard technical skills. Obtaining this credential will exhibit that you have advanced skills in product management.
AIPMM Certified Product Manager Credential. This certification is offered through a partnership between 280 Group and the Association of International Product Marketing and Management (AIPMM). This is the world's largest product management association, so this certification carries a lot of weight and is well respected in the industry. It highlights that you have core skills that are essential to being a highly effective product manager. You need a certain amount of experience and must pass an exam to gain this certification.
New Product Development (NPD) Certification. This one is offered by the Product Development and Management Association (PDMA). This certification is also internationally recognized, and the PDMA is a renowned academic and professional organization. Obtainment of this certification is encouraged at any applicable stage on the product management career path.

Getting into product management is a solid career choice. According to qualified sources, product management interest in the United States has doubled in the last five years. The demand continues to rise for this versatile and interesting position.

Question 11

What should I study to become a product manager?

Accepted Answer

You should study business, communications, marketing, economics, public relations, advertising, and management to become a product manager. A bachelor's degree in one of these areas is also highly beneficial and helpful in finding work as a product manager.

Question 12

Business Analyst vs. Product manager

Accepted Answer

A business analyst is an inward-facing position that focuses on processes, practices, and internal systems inside the company, while a product manager is an outward-facing position that is focused on the marketing and interactions with customers to determine product opportunities.

Question 13

Product Analyst vs. Product Manager

Accepted Answer

A product analyst is someone who analyzes the market and identifies trends to forecast the popularity of a product while a product manager oversees the creation, production, and marketing of a product.

Question 14

Program Manager vs. Product Manager

Accepted Answer

A program manager takes a lateral view of the organization and identifies interdependencies among projects, products, and strategic initiatives, while a product manager is forward-focused and looks at all of the elements needed to drive their products forward

Question 15

What is a good starting salary for a Product Manager?

Accepted Answer

A good starting salary for a product manager is $84,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a product manager in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for product managers is $113,913, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a product manager can vary by state.

Question 16

How much does a Google product manager make?

Accepted Answer

A Google product manager makes an average salary of $170,000 per year. While this is an average, the salary of a Google project manager can range from $40,000 to $300,000 per year.

In addition to their base salary, Google product managers receive annual bonuses of approximately $30,000 to $40,000 a year. Between their base salary and bonuses, Google product managers make over $80,000 more than the average product managers in the United States.

Question 17

How much does an entry-level product manager make?

Accepted Answer

An entry-level product manager makes between $50,000 and $70,000 per year. There are several factors that impact the salary of an entry-level project manager. These factors range from education to location.

Question 18

Can a product manager make 100k?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can make $100,000 per year as a product manager. The chances of earning over $100k for a product manager are actually pretty good because the highest-paid product manager positions typically pay at least $153,000 per year. The average annual salary is $113,913 for product manager jobs. For example, product managers in California whose salaries are in the 90th percentile earn an average salary of $162,000.

Question 19

Do product managers get paid well?

Accepted Answer

Yes, product managers get paid well. The average annual base salary of a product manager is approximately $95,000. There are a number of factors that impact the salary of a product manager, including where and who they work for.

Question 20

What qualifications do I need to be a product manager?

Accepted Answer

Product managers need to have a minimum of a bachelor's degree and some relevant work experience. Education and work experiences are both essential in becoming a product manager, but both can vary a great deal.

Question 21

What percentage of Product Managers are female?

Accepted Answer

34.8% of product managers are female in the United States. This is 1.0 percentage points higher than last year. Additionally, the percentage of female product managers has increased by 15.1 percentage points since 2010. That means there are a total of 14,396 female product managers in the U.S. and 26,974 male product managers in the United States. Note that Zippia's estimate accounts only for the 41,370 people with the specific job title of product manager and doesn't include grouping similar job titles, or people with potentially similar credentialing.

Question 22

How to be a good product manager

Accepted Answer

Being a good product manager requires a host of skills, including the ability to communicate and prioritize. Product managers deal with everyone from engineers to the company's legal team and must work to align all involved to launch and maintain a successful product.

Question 23

How to calculate the selling price of a product

Accepted Answer

To calculate the selling price of the product, you need to calculate all costs associated with the production of the product, and then add in the price of the markup. Be sure to include labor costs and supplies when calculating the cost of your products so you can have an accurate total.

Question 24

How to prepare for a product manager interview?

Accepted Answer

You have to do your research on the company and its interview process, reflect on past projects and key accomplishments, be sure you are up-to-date on agile methodologies and terminology and review commonly asked project management interview questions in order to prepare for a product manager interview.

Question 25

What does an entry-level product manager do?

Accepted Answer

Entry-level product managers assist in the research, development, launch, and maintenance of a company's products. This position is responsible for overseeing the entire lifecycle of a product, from conception to development to launch and beyond, and is responsible for ensuring that the product meets the company's goals and the needs of its customers.

Question 26

Who do product managers work with?

Accepted Answer

Product managers work with cross-functional teams, stakeholders, and executives. Product managers work with a diverse range of stakeholders within an organization. They collaborate closely with cross-functional teams such as engineers, designers, and developers to define product requirements, goals, and oversee the product development process.

Question 27

Why do you want to be a product manager?

Accepted Answer

You answer, "why do you want to be a product manager," by focusing on your desire to help solve problems. Product management is for passionate people who want to make a difference. It could be a passion for technology, innovation, solving a customer problem, or redefining the user experience.

Frequently asked questions about product managers

Questions about becoming a product manager