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The differences between release managers and change managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a release manager, becoming a change manager takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a release manager has an average salary of $109,886, which is higher than the $96,652 average annual salary of a change manager.
The top three skills for a release manager include release management, project management and software development. The most important skills for a change manager are project management, organizational change management, and portfolio.
| Release Manager | Change Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $109,886 | $96,652 |
| Hourly rate | $52.83 | $46.47 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 38,547 | 79,685 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 44 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 8 |
A release manager is responsible for supervising project releases across various platforms by closely coordinating with technology and project teams, ensuring the stability and efficiency of outputs according to clients' specifications and business needs. Release managers handle the delivery management procedures from conceptualization to production, maintaining budget requirements and adherence to timetables. They also perform quality check processes to identify possible defects and inconsistencies with the deliverables and adjusting initial project plans as needed.
The primary role of a change manager is to ensure the timely achievement of corporate projects. Change managers will see to it that the projects are on the budget allotted by the company through heightened employee usage and adoption. They focus on changes in technology and systems, organizational structure, job roles, and business processes. The most significant skills for this job include strategic analysis, digital literacy, leadership, and communication skills.
Release managers and change managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Release Manager | Change Manager | |
| Average salary | $109,886 | $96,652 |
| Salary range | Between $81,000 And $147,000 | Between $72,000 And $128,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Professional |
There are a few differences between a release manager and a change manager in terms of educational background:
| Release Manager | Change Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between release managers' and change managers' demographics:
| Release Manager | Change Manager | |
| Average age | 44 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.4% Female, 38.6% | Male, 56.7% Female, 43.3% |
| 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, 6.8% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 12.6% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |