Professional development manager vs manager, learning & development

The differences between professional development managers and managers, learning & development can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a professional development manager and a manager, learning & development. Additionally, a professional development manager has an average salary of $101,737, which is higher than the $88,297 average annual salary of a manager, learning & development.

The top three skills for a professional development manager include professional growth, project management and educational programs. The most important skills for a manager, learning & development are project management, human resources, and instructional design.

Professional development manager vs manager, learning & development overview

	Professional Development Manager	Manager, Learning & Development
Yearly salary	$101,737	$88,297
Hourly rate	$48.91	$42.45
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	114,553	75,189
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	4	4

What does a professional development manager do?

A professional development manager is typically responsible for designing and developing career and professional growth programs in companies. Their responsibilities usually include planning interviews and assessments to identify the employees' needs, establishing guidelines and timelines, coordinating staff, liaising with internal and external parties, and collaborating with other experts. They must also develop training programs to enhance employees' soft and hard skills. Moreover, as a professional development manager, they must lead and encourage staff to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

What does a manager, learning & development do?

A learning & development (L&D;) manager is an individual who is responsible for training employees within an organization to advance their skills and knowledge. Learning & development managers are required to execute learning strategies and programs for employees and assess their development as well as the organization's development needs. They implement various learning methods companywide such as e-learning courses, workshops, and coaching. Learning & development managers also manage the hiring and training of new L&D; specialists.

Professional development manager vs manager, learning & development salary

Professional development managers and managers, learning & development have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Professional Development Manager	Manager, Learning & Development
Average salary	$101,737	$88,297
Salary range	Between $66,000 And $156,000	Between $61,000 And $127,000
Highest paying City	Daly City, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	California
Best paying company	Shearman & Sterling	Meta
Best paying industry	-	Retail

Differences between professional development manager and manager, learning & development education

There are a few differences between a professional development manager and a manager, learning & development in terms of educational background:

	Professional Development Manager	Manager, Learning & Development
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Northwestern University	Northwestern University

Professional development manager vs manager, learning & development demographics

Here are the differences between professional development managers' and managers, learning & development' demographics:

	Professional Development Manager	Manager, Learning & Development
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 41.9% Female, 58.1%	Male, 41.9% Female, 58.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 4.1% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 4.1% White, 63.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	18%	18%

Differences between professional development manager and manager, learning & development duties and responsibilities

Professional development manager example responsibilities.

Manage SDLC process, while participating in requirements gathering, functional documentation, data analysis, and implementation plans.
Attend and at times chair San Diego CME providers network to share best practices across organizations.
Negotiate with product management, development and QA to ensure operational support requirements are incorporated into new product design specifications.
Create bi-weekly target HDQ messages direct to flight attendants via e-Board PowerPoint slides.
Team with speakers and sponsors to develop materials including PowerPoint and case studies.
Develop content and deliver professional skills training including client development, professional responsibility, ethics, and legal practice skills.

Manager, learning & development example responsibilities.

Manage garnishment, data integrity, and other payroll compliance processes.
Lead the design of the company's HRIS system, which are developed entirely in-house.
Manage departmental cost, service metrics, key performance indicators (KPI) and service levels.
Lead corporate initiatives in learning and development including management and leadership training, technical training, eLearning, and instructor-le programs.
Conduct ongoing training needs assessments to assist in performance management and succession planning necessary to meet strategic corporate objectives.
Work closely with SMEs to ensure training is aligned with business needs and desire outcomes.

Professional development manager vs manager, learning & development skills

Common professional development manager skills

Professional Growth, 11%
Project Management, 11%
Educational Programs, 10%
Staff Development, 10%
Training Programs, 7%
Training Sessions, 4%

Common manager, learning & development skills

Project Management, 8%
Human Resources, 6%
Instructional Design, 5%
Learning Solutions, 5%
Continuous Improvement, 5%
Training Programs, 5%

Professional Development Manager vs. similar jobs

Professional Development Manager related careers

Professional Development Manager related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Executive Management Industry
Professional Development Manager
Professional Development Manager vs Manager, Learning & Development

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse executive management jobs