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The differences between research and development project managers and senior project managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a senior project manager has an average salary of $110,947, 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 senior project manager are project management, program management, and portfolio.
| Research And Development Project Manager | Senior Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $98,808 | $110,947 |
| Hourly rate | $47.50 | $53.34 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 159,437 | 183,210 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 48 | 47 |
| 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.
Senior project managers are experienced employees assigned to oversee a specific project in the organization. They manage the project from conception to execution. They are onboard the project from the ideation phase, providing valuable insights to ensure the success of the project. Senior project managers are also in charge of managing the budget, ensuring that the expected timelines are followed, adjusting strategies when needed, and guiding project team members. It is important for senior project managers to be good leaders and communicators. They should be able to balance the interests of all the stakeholders involved in the project. They should have good interpersonal skills and decision-making skills.
Research and development project managers and senior project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research And Development Project Manager | Senior Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $98,808 | $110,947 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $144,000 | Between $82,000 And $148,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Walt Disney Company | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a research and development project manager and a senior project manager in terms of educational background:
| Research And Development Project Manager | Senior Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between research and development project managers' and senior project managers' demographics:
| Research And Development Project Manager | Senior Project Manager | |
| Average age | 48 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.3% Female, 27.7% | Male, 71.4% Female, 28.6% |
| 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, 7.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 8.8% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 10% |