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The differences between special projects managers and senior project managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a senior project manager has an average salary of $110,947, which is higher than the $90,221 average annual salary of a special projects manager.
The top three skills for a special projects manager include project management, logistics and financial statements. The most important skills for a senior project manager are project management, program management, and portfolio.
| Special Projects Manager | Senior Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $90,221 | $110,947 |
| Hourly rate | $43.38 | $53.34 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 114,925 | 183,210 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A Special Projects Department is a vital part of the research and development branch in a company to design and create new products and services for customers to use. The special projects manager's responsibility is to request and allocate funds, personnel, and a specialist to the project. This person is also obligated to monitor and generate reports on the project's status and update the company management on the special project's daily status.
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.
Special projects managers and senior project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special Projects Manager | Senior Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $90,221 | $110,947 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $122,000 | Between $82,000 And $148,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Roku | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a special projects manager and a senior project manager in terms of educational background:
| Special Projects Manager | Senior Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between special projects managers' and senior project managers' demographics:
| Special Projects Manager | Senior Project Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.1% Female, 38.9% | Male, 71.4% Female, 28.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 8.6% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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 | 10% | 10% |