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The differences between research and development program managers and design managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes More than 10 years to become both a research and development program manager and a design manager. Additionally, a research and development program manager has an average salary of $116,594, which is higher than the $102,637 average annual salary of a design manager.
The top three skills for a research and development program manager include R, project management and program management. The most important skills for a design manager are sketch, project management, and visualization.
| Research And Development Program Manager | Design Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $116,594 | $102,637 |
| Hourly rate | $56.05 | $49.34 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 152,460 | 61,273 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Research and development program managers are responsible for research, planning, and implementing new programs and protocols into their company or organization and overseeing the development of new products. Their duties and responsibilities also include assessing the scope of the project and ensuring the project is going according to budget. They also develop and implement research and development procedures and techniques.
A design manager is responsible for creating graphic and digital designs, following clients' specifications, and managing project deliverables efficiently. Design managers work closely with the marketing and public relations department, developing strategies to promote the brand to the target audience. They coordinate with the creative team and present the design ideas to the management, ask for final approval, perform revisions as needed, and follow the budget goals. A design manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills to handle the design team's concerns and needs.
Research and development program managers and design managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research And Development Program Manager | Design Manager | |
| Average salary | $116,594 | $102,637 |
| Salary range | Between $86,000 And $157,000 | Between $69,000 And $150,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | Zoox | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a research and development program manager and a design manager in terms of educational background:
| Research And Development Program Manager | Design Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between research and development program managers' and design managers' demographics:
| Research And Development Program Manager | Design Manager | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.6% Female, 25.4% | Male, 63.8% Female, 36.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.8% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.9% White, 66.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 11.8% White, 71.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |