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The differences between scrum masters and project managers & leader can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a scrum master and a project manager & leader. Additionally, a project manager & leader has an average salary of $102,092, which is higher than the $86,329 average annual salary of a scrum master.
The top three skills for a scrum master include jira, software development and agile scrum. The most important skills for a project manager & leader are project management, infrastructure, and post implementation.
| Scrum Master | Project Manager & Leader | |
| Yearly salary | $86,329 | $102,092 |
| Hourly rate | $41.50 | $49.08 |
| Growth rate | 9% | - |
| Number of jobs | 44,670 | 190,600 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A scrum master is a job that's rooted in leadership. It is the scrum master's responsibility to ensure a scrum process over the development of a project. They are not directly involved in the decision-making but guide the team in completing the scrum process with their experience and expertise. Also, a scrum master must be adept at being agile in approaching a project and also be able to schedule meetings during the process. In addition, the scrum master acts as a coach as well, helping the scrum teamwork cross-functionally.
A project manager & leader is responsible for monitoring the overall project management and staff operations, ensuring the efficiency and accuracy of project deliverables to meet the client's requirements, and achieving the highest customer satisfaction. Project managers/leaders implement strategic procedures to minimize costs while maximizing operational productivity. They identify business opportunities by analyzing the current market trends to develop services that would meet the clients' demands and the public's interests. A project manager & leader also handles the department budget, allocating adequate resources, and maintaining an organized delegation of tasks for the employees.
Scrum masters and project managers & leader have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Scrum Master | Project Manager & Leader | |
| Average salary | $86,329 | $102,092 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $114,000 | Between $74,000 And $139,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | ICE Mortgage Technology | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a scrum master and a project manager & leader in terms of educational background:
| Scrum Master | Project Manager & Leader | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between scrum masters' and project managers & leader' demographics:
| Scrum Master | Project Manager & Leader | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.7% Female, 33.3% | Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0% |
| 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, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |