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The differences between project management specialists and technical project 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 project management specialist, becoming a technical project manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a technical project manager has an average salary of $108,205, which is higher than the $81,204 average annual salary of a project management specialist.
The top three skills for a project management specialist include PMP, powerpoint and status reports. The most important skills for a technical project manager are project management, technical project, and scrum.
| Project Management Specialist | Technical Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $81,204 | $108,205 |
| Hourly rate | $39.04 | $52.02 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 145,872 | 209,820 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 1 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A project management specialist is an individual who manages an entire project and serves as a point of contact for a client or customer. Project management specialists must provide detailed cost analysis and timetable reports to keep projects on schedule and budget. They must ask for frequent updates from all staff assigned so that they can identify potential problems that may keep projects from being completed on time. Project management specialists must also prepare progress reports of projects and create presentations for senior management.
The role of technical project managers is to oversee the planning and management of projects within a company. They are considered as the lead subject matter expert in terms of technology concerns. They have varied duties that include ensuring the completion of projects within an established budget and time frame, hiring and training support members, and improving resource management and project planning. They also communicate with stakeholders and collaborate with other departments, all to attain a common goal.
Project management specialists and technical project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Management Specialist | Technical Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $81,204 | $108,205 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $112,000 | Between $81,000 And $142,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bridgewater, NJ | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Enbridge | Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a project management specialist and a technical project manager in terms of educational background:
| Project Management Specialist | Technical Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between project management specialists' and technical project managers' demographics:
| Project Management Specialist | Technical Project Manager | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.4% Female, 47.6% | Male, 73.2% Female, 26.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 11.8% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 11% |