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The differences between strategic project managers and contract project managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a strategic project manager has an average salary of $105,238, which is higher than the $81,263 average annual salary of a contract project manager.
The top three skills for a strategic project manager include project management, strategic projects and project scope. The most important skills for a contract project manager are project management, project scope, and contract project.
| Strategic Project Manager | Contract Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $105,238 | $81,263 |
| Hourly rate | $50.60 | $39.07 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 199,245 | 159,765 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 47 | 46 |
| Years of experience | - | 8 |
A strategic project manager is responsible for developing efficient project management methods to achieve the highest customer satisfaction and gain more revenue resources for the business. Strategic project managers analyze the current market trends, perform data and statistical analysis, and generate opportunities to close more business partnerships. They also coordinate with the marketing and sales team to identify effective marketing strategies to increase the brand's image in various market platforms and enhance sales performance. A strategic project manager handles company accounts and regularly connects with the client for project updates.
A contract project manager is an executive professional who provides project management and business analysis to fill the needs of an organization. Contract project managers are required to monitor and inspect contract projects to maintain a high level of safety and quality traffic control in highly variable conditions. They assist contract project administration with the review of project progress reports. Contract project managers must also manage the relationship between clients and the organization while monitoring the progress of the project to ensure that it complies with the terms of the corporate contract.
Strategic project managers and contract project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Strategic Project Manager | Contract Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $105,238 | $81,263 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $151,000 | Between $53,000 And $124,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | PRO Unlimited |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a strategic project manager and a contract project manager in terms of educational background:
| Strategic Project Manager | Contract Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo |
Here are the differences between strategic project managers' and contract project managers' demographics:
| Strategic Project Manager | Contract Project Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.9% Female, 44.1% | Male, 66.1% Female, 33.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 2.8% White, 70.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 4% |