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The differences between resource project managers and contract project 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 resource project manager, becoming a contract project manager takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a contract project manager has an average salary of $81,263, which is higher than the $70,148 average annual salary of a resource project manager.
The top three skills for a resource project manager include project management, business development and resource management. The most important skills for a contract project manager are project management, project scope, and contract project.
| Resource Project Manager | Contract Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $70,148 | $81,263 |
| Hourly rate | $33.73 | $39.07 |
| Growth rate | - | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 127,659 | 159,765 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 8 |
A resource project manager is held accountable for the allocation of resources necessary for a project's success. Resource project managers plan, execute, monitor, control, and close projects. They take responsibility for overseeing the resources, scope, and development of a project. Risk management, critical thinking, cost control, and negotiation are the skills necessary for this position. Among the other abilities for project managers to develop are contract management, scheduling, and leadership.
A contract project manager is an executive professional who provides project management and business analysis to fill the needs of an organization. Contract project managers are required to monitor and inspect contract projects to maintain a high level of safety and quality traffic control in highly variable conditions. They assist contract project administration with the review of project progress reports. Contract project managers must also manage the relationship between clients and the organization while monitoring the progress of the project to ensure that it complies with the terms of the corporate contract.
Resource project managers and contract project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Resource Project Manager | Contract Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $70,148 | $81,263 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $96,000 | Between $53,000 And $124,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | - | PRO Unlimited |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a resource project manager and a contract project manager in terms of educational background:
| Resource Project Manager | Contract Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo |
Here are the differences between resource project managers' and contract project managers' demographics:
| Resource Project Manager | Contract Project Manager | |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 54.6% Female, 45.4% | Male, 66.1% Female, 33.9% |
| 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, 3.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 2.8% White, 70.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 4% |