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The differences between software development project managers and project managers & leader can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a software development project manager, becoming a project manager & leader takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a software development project manager has an average salary of $106,633, which is higher than the $102,092 average annual salary of a project manager & leader.
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 & leader are project management, infrastructure, and post implementation.
| Software Development Project Manager | Project Manager & Leader | |
| Yearly salary | $106,633 | $102,092 |
| Hourly rate | $51.27 | $49.08 |
| Growth rate | 21% | - |
| Number of jobs | 331,412 | 190,600 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 39 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
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.
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.
Software development project managers and project managers & leader have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Development Project Manager | Project Manager & Leader | |
| Average salary | $106,633 | $102,092 |
| Salary range | Between $76,000 And $148,000 | Between $74,000 And $139,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | California |
| Best paying company | Barclays | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a software development project manager and a project manager & leader in terms of educational background:
| Software Development Project Manager | Project Manager & Leader | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between software development project managers' and project managers & leader' demographics:
| Software Development Project Manager | Project Manager & Leader | |
| Average age | 39 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.6% Female, 25.4% | Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0% |
| 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, 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 | 8% | 11% |