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The differences between senior technical program managers and technical project managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a senior technical program manager, becoming a technical project manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior technical program manager has an average salary of $137,188, which is higher than the $108,205 average annual salary of a technical project manager.
The top three skills for a senior technical program manager include technical program, program management and project management. The most important skills for a technical project manager are project management, technical project, and scrum.
| Senior Technical Program Manager | Technical Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $137,188 | $108,205 |
| Hourly rate | $65.96 | $52.02 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 252,894 | 209,820 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 1 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 47 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 6 |
A senior technical program manager is responsible for handling the overall development of technical project processes from the initial conceptualization to the completion. Senior technical program managers lead the development team, implementing strategic procedures to maintain the efficiency and accuracy of the output, as well as developing quality control techniques to spot inconsistencies and system failures. They also monitor the current technology trends, identify cost-reduction resources, and research on technical opportunities that would bring more revenues and increase the company's profitability.
The role of technical project managers is to oversee the planning and management of projects within a company. They are considered as the lead subject matter expert in terms of technology concerns. They have varied duties that include ensuring the completion of projects within an established budget and time frame, hiring and training support members, and improving resource management and project planning. They also communicate with stakeholders and collaborate with other departments, all to attain a common goal.
Senior technical program managers and technical project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Technical Program Manager | Technical Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $137,188 | $108,205 |
| Salary range | Between $102,000 And $184,000 | Between $81,000 And $142,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Roku | Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton |
| Best paying industry | Real Estate | Finance |
There are a few differences between a senior technical program manager and a technical project manager in terms of educational background:
| Senior Technical Program Manager | Technical Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between senior technical program managers' and technical project managers' demographics:
| Senior Technical Program Manager | Technical Project Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.7% Female, 25.3% | Male, 73.2% Female, 26.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 18.7% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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% |