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The differences between research and development project 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 project manager and a design manager. Additionally, a design manager has an average salary of $102,637, which is higher than the $98,808 average annual salary of a research and development project manager.
The top three skills for a research and development project manager include R, project management and product development. The most important skills for a design manager are sketch, project management, and visualization.
| Research And Development Project Manager | Design Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $98,808 | $102,637 |
| Hourly rate | $47.50 | $49.34 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 159,437 | 61,273 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
It is the responsibility of a research and development manager to research, plan, and implement new protocols and programs into their organization. Research and development managers supervise research and the development of new knowledge-based products. They create research programs that incorporate existing developments for product improvement. To become a research and development manager, one needs research experience, skills in research and development projects, and work experience in the industry.
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 project managers and design managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research And Development Project Manager | Design Manager | |
| Average salary | $98,808 | $102,637 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $144,000 | Between $69,000 And $150,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Walt Disney Company | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a research and development project manager and a design manager in terms of educational background:
| Research And Development Project Manager | Design Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between research and development project managers' and design managers' demographics:
| Research And Development Project Manager | Design Manager | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.3% Female, 27.7% | Male, 63.8% Female, 36.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.8% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 16.5% White, 68.1% 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% |