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The differences between professional development managers and software development project managers 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 software development project manager. Additionally, a software development project manager has an average salary of $106,633, which is higher than the $101,737 average annual salary of a professional development manager.
The top three skills for a professional development manager include professional growth, project management and educational programs. The most important skills for a software development project manager are project management, scrum, and software development.
| Professional Development Manager | Software Development Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $101,737 | $106,633 |
| Hourly rate | $48.91 | $51.27 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 114,553 | 331,412 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 45 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
Software development project managers are responsible for scheduling, planning, and delivering software and web projects. The managers must have knowledge of project estimation techniques and the ability to motivate team members. These managers plan out the blueprints for software projects like allocating resources, laying out communication strategies, and indicating test and maintenance. Also, they participate and supervise each stage of the project, ensure each project stays on schedule and adheres to the deadline, and discuss potential projects with clients, software developers, and executives.
Professional development managers and software development project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Professional Development Manager | Software Development Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $101,737 | $106,633 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $156,000 | Between $76,000 And $148,000 |
| Highest paying City | Daly City, CA | Newark, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Shearman & Sterling | Barclays |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a professional development manager and a software development project manager in terms of educational background:
| Professional Development Manager | Software Development Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between professional development managers' and software development project managers' demographics:
| Professional Development Manager | Software Development Project Manager | |
| Average age | 45 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.9% Female, 58.1% | Male, 74.6% Female, 25.4% |
| 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, 4.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 18% | 8% |