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The differences between product planners and product developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a product planner, becoming a product developer takes usually requires 8-10 years. Additionally, a product planner has an average salary of $94,669, which is higher than the $88,629 average annual salary of a product developer.
The top three skills for a product planner include product development, product planning and product line. The most important skills for a product developer are product development, R, and develop user.
| Product Planner | Product Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $94,669 | $88,629 |
| Hourly rate | $45.51 | $42.61 |
| Growth rate | -3% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 85,346 | 147,035 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 45 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 10 |
Product planner positions require a battery of skills, including decisiveness, stress management, leadership, organization, communication, statistics, business operations, computer literacy, and problem-solving, to name a few. Those who choose this career will be required to involve internally-focused decisions, steps, and tasks necessary to develop a successful product.
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 planners and product developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Planner | Product Developer | |
| Average salary | $94,669 | $88,629 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $124,000 | Between $63,000 And $123,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a product planner and a product developer in terms of educational background:
| Product Planner | Product Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between product planners' and product developers' demographics:
| Product Planner | Product Developer | |
| Average age | 45 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.2% Female, 42.8% | Male, 61.1% Female, 38.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 7.4% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | 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 | 11% | 10% |