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The differences between senior directors, product management and principal product managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 8-10 years to become both a senior director, product management and a principal product manager. Additionally, a senior director, product management has an average salary of $169,685, which is higher than the $145,943 average annual salary of a principal product manager.
The top three skills for a senior director, product management include product management, SR and product strategy. The most important skills for a principal product manager are product management, QA, and product development.
| Senior Director, Product Management | Principal Product Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $169,685 | $145,943 |
| Hourly rate | $81.58 | $70.16 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 173,327 | 143,985 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 10 |
A senior director of product management's role is to direct and oversee the product development operations in an organization, ensuring that all procedures adhere to the vision, mission, and goals of the company. Their responsibilities revolve around creating roadmaps and guidelines, coordinating with different departments to gather relevant data, setting budgets and objectives, devising strategies and finding new opportunities, and monitoring sales while putting customer feedback into consideration. Furthermore, as a senior director, it is essential to lead and encourage team members, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
The duties of a principal product manager depend on one's place or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around overseeing the organization's product roadmap, devising strategies for optimal operations and services, and managing production and marketing communications. They must also coordinate with different research scientists and engineers to develop systems and networks that will increase profitability and assist in meeting consumers' needs. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage teams, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Senior directors, product management and principal product managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Director, Product Management | Principal Product Manager | |
| Average salary | $169,685 | $145,943 |
| Salary range | Between $123,000 And $233,000 | Between $106,000 And $199,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | eBay | Brex |
| Best paying industry | Media | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a senior director, product management and a principal product manager in terms of educational background:
| Senior Director, Product Management | Principal Product Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between senior directors, product management' and principal product managers' demographics:
| Senior Director, Product Management | Principal Product Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.5% Female, 19.5% | Male, 73.9% Female, 26.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |