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The differences between technical project managers and project management leads can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a technical project manager and a project management lead. Additionally, a technical project manager has an average salary of $108,205, which is higher than the $85,117 average annual salary of a project management lead.
The top three skills for a technical project manager include project management, technical project and scrum. The most important skills for a project management lead are project management, customer service, and portfolio.
| Technical Project Manager | Project Management Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $108,205 | $85,117 |
| Hourly rate | $52.02 | $40.92 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 209,820 | 158,441 |
| Job satisfaction | 1 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
The role of technical project managers is to oversee the planning and management of projects within a company. They are considered as the lead subject matter expert in terms of technology concerns. They have varied duties that include ensuring the completion of projects within an established budget and time frame, hiring and training support members, and improving resource management and project planning. They also communicate with stakeholders and collaborate with other departments, all to attain a common goal.
A project management lead is in charge of overseeing all processes involved in the planning and delivery of projects in an organization. Their responsibilities typically revolve around coordinating departments and personnel involved in every project to ensure accuracy and timeliness, managing budget and expenditures, producing progress reports and presentations, assessing risks, and delivering optimal quality results. Furthermore, as a management lead, it is crucial to lead and encourage team members, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Technical project managers and project management leads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Project Manager | Project Management Lead | |
| Average salary | $108,205 | $85,117 |
| Salary range | Between $81,000 And $142,000 | Between $53,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Energy |
There are a few differences between a technical project manager and a project management lead in terms of educational background:
| Technical Project Manager | Project Management Lead | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between technical project managers' and project management leads' demographics:
| Technical Project Manager | Project Management Lead | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.2% Female, 26.8% | Male, 59.2% Female, 40.8% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 | 11% | 11% |