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The differences between research and development program managers 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 $116,594 average annual salary of a research and development program 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 lead program manager are project management, program management, and portfolio.
| Research And Development Program Manager | Lead Program Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $116,594 | $119,480 |
| Hourly rate | $56.05 | $57.44 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 152,460 | 200,688 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 48 | 47 |
| 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 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.
Research and development program managers and lead program managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research And Development Program Manager | Lead Program Manager | |
| Average salary | $116,594 | $119,480 |
| Salary range | Between $86,000 And $157,000 | Between $89,000 And $158,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Zoox | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a research and development program manager and a lead program manager in terms of educational background:
| Research And Development Program Manager | Lead Program Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between research and development program managers' and lead program managers' demographics:
| Research And Development Program Manager | Lead Program Manager | |
| Average age | 48 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.6% Female, 25.4% | Male, 63.7% Female, 36.3% |
| 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, 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 | 9% | 10% |