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The differences between software development managers and project managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a software development manager has an average salary of $134,747, which is higher than the $91,578 average annual salary of a project manager.
The top three skills for a software development manager include java, AWS and architecture. The most important skills for a project manager are project management, project scope, and customer service.
| Software Development Manager | Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $134,747 | $91,578 |
| Hourly rate | $64.78 | $44.03 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 265,464 | 167,116 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.17 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 44 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
A software development manager is an individual who manages teams of software developers that design and create software applications and web services for clients. Software development managers should delegate duties and establish development standards for the development team as well as create a budget and timeline for the project. They must meet with management to discuss how software applications can achieve business objectives. Once the software has been developed, software development managers must train technical and non-technical end-users. They must also be skilled in different programming languages such as HTML, SQL, and JavaScript.
Project managers oversee a specific project related to the organization's business. They manage the whole project from inception to evaluation. They initiate planning with involved departments, follow-through on the plans, ensure smooth execution of the plans, and evaluate the project for further improvements should these be needed. In line with this, project managers also ensure that the project is cost-efficient and well within the budget. They also manage the different work teams involved in the project and ensure that things are running smoothly on this aspect as well.
Software development managers and project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Development Manager | Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $134,747 | $91,578 |
| Salary range | Between $100,000 And $180,000 | Between $64,000 And $129,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a software development manager and a project manager in terms of educational background:
| Software Development Manager | Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between software development managers' and project managers' demographics:
| Software Development Manager | Project Manager | |
| Average age | 44 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.1% Female, 14.9% | Male, 68.9% Female, 31.1% |
| 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, 7.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.0% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 10% |