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The differences between software project managers and senior project managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a software project manager has an average salary of $115,181, which is higher than the $110,947 average annual salary of a senior project manager.
The top three skills for a software project manager include project management, scrum and development process. The most important skills for a senior project manager are project management, program management, and portfolio.
| Software Project Manager | Senior Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $115,181 | $110,947 |
| Hourly rate | $55.38 | $53.34 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 285,134 | 183,210 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
A software project manager is responsible for leading software projects and development from its conceptualization to final deliverables. Software project managers coordinate with the clients for their specifications and requirements, including their budget limitations and timetables. They discuss the project outline with software developers and design engineers and gather all the ideas for the design plan. A software project manager reviews every successful milestone completion, revise project plans as needed, and ensure the stability and efficiency of software applications by running quality control tests.
Senior project managers are experienced employees assigned to oversee a specific project in the organization. They manage the project from conception to execution. They are onboard the project from the ideation phase, providing valuable insights to ensure the success of the project. Senior project managers are also in charge of managing the budget, ensuring that the expected timelines are followed, adjusting strategies when needed, and guiding project team members. It is important for senior project managers to be good leaders and communicators. They should be able to balance the interests of all the stakeholders involved in the project. They should have good interpersonal skills and decision-making skills.
Software project managers and senior project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Project Manager | Senior Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $115,181 | $110,947 |
| Salary range | Between $84,000 And $156,000 | Between $82,000 And $148,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a software project manager and a senior project manager in terms of educational background:
| Software Project Manager | Senior Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between software project managers' and senior project managers' demographics:
| Software Project Manager | Senior Project Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.2% Female, 32.8% | Male, 71.4% Female, 28.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 8.8% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 10% |