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The differences between software development project managers and project managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a software development project manager has an average salary of $106,633, which is higher than the $91,578 average annual salary of a project manager.
The top three skills for a software development project manager include project management, scrum and software development. The most important skills for a project manager are project management, project scope, and customer service.
| Software Development Project Manager | Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $106,633 | $91,578 |
| Hourly rate | $51.27 | $44.03 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 331,412 | 167,116 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.17 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 39 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
Software development project managers are responsible for scheduling, planning, and delivering software and web projects. The managers must have knowledge of project estimation techniques and the ability to motivate team members. These managers plan out the blueprints for software projects like allocating resources, laying out communication strategies, and indicating test and maintenance. Also, they participate and supervise each stage of the project, ensure each project stays on schedule and adheres to the deadline, and discuss potential projects with clients, software developers, and executives.
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 project managers and project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Development Project Manager | Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $106,633 | $91,578 |
| Salary range | Between $76,000 And $148,000 | Between $64,000 And $129,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | California |
| Best paying company | Barclays | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a software development project manager and a project manager in terms of educational background:
| Software Development Project Manager | Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | 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 project managers' and project managers' demographics:
| Software Development Project Manager | Project Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.6% Female, 25.4% | Male, 68.9% Female, 31.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 8% | 10% |