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The differences between project managers & leader and lead program managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a lead program manager has an average salary of $119,480, which is higher than the $102,092 average annual salary of a project manager & leader.
The top three skills for a project manager & leader include project management, infrastructure and post implementation. The most important skills for a lead program manager are project management, program management, and portfolio.
| Project Manager & Leader | Lead Program Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $102,092 | $119,480 |
| Hourly rate | $49.08 | $57.44 |
| Growth rate | - | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 190,600 | 200,688 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 44 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
A project manager & leader is responsible for monitoring the overall project management and staff operations, ensuring the efficiency and accuracy of project deliverables to meet the client's requirements, and achieving the highest customer satisfaction. Project managers/leaders implement strategic procedures to minimize costs while maximizing operational productivity. They identify business opportunities by analyzing the current market trends to develop services that would meet the clients' demands and the public's interests. A project manager & leader also handles the department budget, allocating adequate resources, and maintaining an organized delegation of tasks for the employees.
A lead program manager is responsible for coordinating departmental projects and ensuring that the programs adhere to the business guidelines and functions to achieve long-term goals and objectives. Lead program managers strategize techniques in developing business plans and managing budget allocation across departments. They also coordinate with clients for progress updates and modify program plans as needed. A lead program manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills to finalize program outputs and assist the team in resolving project issues and delays.
Project managers & leader and lead program managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Manager & Leader | Lead Program Manager | |
| Average salary | $102,092 | $119,480 |
| Salary range | Between $74,000 And $139,000 | Between $89,000 And $158,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Apple | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between a project manager & leader and a lead program manager in terms of educational background:
| Project Manager & Leader | Lead Program Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between project managers & leader' and lead program managers' demographics:
| Project Manager & Leader | Lead Program Manager | |
| Average age | 44 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0% | Male, 63.7% Female, 36.3% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.1% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 10% |