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The differences between professional development directors and development managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a professional development director, becoming a development manager takes usually requires 8-10 years. Additionally, a development manager has an average salary of $110,678, which is higher than the $100,545 average annual salary of a professional development director.
The top three skills for a professional development director include professional development, oversight and adult learning. The most important skills for a development manager are project management, customer service, and patients.
| Professional Development Director | Development Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $100,545 | $110,678 |
| Hourly rate | $48.34 | $53.21 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 103,723 | 111,137 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 45 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 10 |
A professional development director spearheads and develops training services and professional development programs to enhance the skills and abilities of employees in a company, paving the way for career growth. They have the responsibility to set goals and objectives, establish guidelines and timelines, coordinate teams and managers, liaise with external agencies, and oversee procedures from planning to execution. Moreover, as a professional development director, it is essential to lead staff while implementing policies and regulations, developing new ones as needed.
A development manager is responsible for assisting existing clients or potential clients of the services they need. A development manager serves as the initial point of contact for the clients to answer their inquiries and concerns before proceeding with a contract. Development managers usually arrange meetings with clients, analyze business opportunities, improve marketing initiatives to attract clients, research the industry's latest trends, create proposals, and assist in training new staff members. A development manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills to handle staff performance and build professional relationships with clients.
Professional development directors and development managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Professional Development Director | Development Manager | |
| Average salary | $100,545 | $110,678 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $216,000 | Between $76,000 And $159,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | California |
| Best paying company | Baker McKenzie | Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a professional development director and a development manager in terms of educational background:
| Professional Development Director | Development Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between professional development directors' and development managers' demographics:
| Professional Development Director | Development Manager | |
| Average age | 45 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.2% Female, 65.8% | Male, 60.5% Female, 39.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 4.1% White, 62.7% 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 | 18% | 10% |