Product Managers are the new rock stars and they make rock star salaries. Learn everything about how much money a role in product management can make you.
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• 10 min read
Product Management is one of the hottest and fastest-growing job sectors in 2021. With more and more companies recognizing product management as a critical business function, the field has experienced an astounding 32% growth from August 2017 to June 2019. Glassdoor also ranked Product Manager as the 4th best Job in the US based on salary, job satisfaction, and potential job growth.
The career path is indeed a promising and fulfilling one. The job offers more than enough money to live life fully and lets you work reasonable hours and you'll be on a constant satisfying payroll. You will work with smart people and work towards meaningful goals. You can also expect added benefits, such as catered meals, gym membership health insurance, and stock options. On top of that, product managers make real and lasting impact and companies welcome diversity in this role.
So how much does a product manager make? The answer is not straightforward. Each company has different titles for its product managers and has unique recruitment and promotion criteria. Even job responsibilities vary significantly between organizations.
Some companies follow a hierarchical approach and have product managers on every level, while others have a single role in a cross-functional capacity. Factors such as financial strength and business goals largely influence the team structure and, ultimately, the pay scale.
In this piece, we’ll identify and dissect the five key factors that determine the product manager’s average base salary. You’ll also learn about exciting product management job titles, their salary ranges, and their requirements. Finally, you will understand how external factors can impact your pay scale to a great extent. So get ready!
5 Key Factors that Determine a Product Manager’s Salary
A quick comparison between Product Managers’ salaries posted on top job portals, such as Glassdoor, Payscale, or Indeed, might make you think that pay meters are faulty. The numbers do not add up, and the standard deviation is too high. The salaries even range from $55k to a staggering $200k.
This unusual variation can be attributed to several internal and external factors. Each factor is significant enough to cause severe fluctuation by itself. Here are the five key factors that determine how much a product manager should make.
- Rank (or Seniority)
- Location
- Industry
- Company Strength
- Certifications
#1 - Rank as a Factor for Product Management Salary
Rank is a combination of three E’s: education, experience, and expertise. It is the core driver of salary increments in every job; product management is no exception.
Associate Product Manager - Entry Level
Associate Product Managers (APMs) work with development, engineering, and design teams on a cross-functional capacity. Their job is to ensure the steady development and timely delivery of products.
Technical duties involve collecting product and user data, analyzing customer feedback, and devising product strategies accordingly. Their roles overlap significantly with those of middle-tier product managers. The only difference is that an associate lacks company-wide decision-making abilities.
- Years of Experience: 0-2 years
- Educational Requirement: Zippia determined that 48 percent of Associate Product Managers usually have a bachelor's degree in business or related fields, and 37 percent have master's degrees.
However, experts confirm that you can enter the field with only a high school degree, provided that you have the necessary skill set as a product person. Most applicants have previous internship experiences in product management or customer-centric fields, such as marketing or sales.
If you're new to the game, check out Markup Hero’s Ultimate Guide on Landing Your First Product Manager Internship to kickstart your career in product management.
Average Annual Salary:
- $96,010 (Glassdoor)
- $68,888 (Payscale)
- $82,210 (Indeed)
Range: $49,000 - $129,000
Yearly Cash Bonus: $3000-$5000
Technical Product Manager - Entry Level
Technical Product Managers act as bridges that connect an organization’s business and technological domain. They are responsible for creating product roadmaps, developing core product specifications, and working alongside the development team to create product strategies in tandem with the long-term product vision.
In a nutshell, technical product managers are business representatives in the company’s technology decisions.
- Years of Experience: 2-3 years
- Educational Requirements: The title is pretty self-explanatory. However, what technical skills you must have depends entirely on the company you are applying for, the industry, and its nature. As for academic qualifications, 38% of Technical Product Managers possess a bachelor's in Business or Computer Science, while 37% have master's degrees.
However, technical managers without formal education are also common in the industry. These managers have previous career experience in project management or related software fields.
Average Annual Salary:
- $63,200 (Glassdoor)
- $105,817 (Payscale)
- $128,329 (Indeed)
Range: $68,000 - $148,000
Yearly Cash Bonus: $5000-$10000
Software Product Manager - Entry Level
Software Product Managers are no different from mainstream product managers. However, as the name suggests, they mostly deal with digital products. Their roles involve developing software products, crafting product strategies, creating customer values throughout the product cycle, and delivering profitability.
- Years of Experience: 2-5 years
- Educational Requirements: 37% of Software Product Managers have a bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, or Computer Science. Moreover, 42% have master's degrees. Similar to other entry-level jobs we discussed, software product management does not demand a mandatory college degree. Instead, previous career experience in software engineering is recommended.
Average Salary:
- $108,992 (Glassdoor)
- $96,194 (Payscale)
- $107,358 (Indeed)
Range: $65,000 - $146,000
Yearly Cash Bonus: $8,000-& $9,000
Technical Program Manager - Entry Level
Technical Program Managers (TPMs) are risk managers. Their prime responsibilities include initiating programs, managing program processes, monitoring progress, track down technical anomalies, and acting as support centers in times of emergencies. From time to time, they review codes and designs as well.
Since technical program managers are also in-charge of contingency strategies, they are known as Agile Product Development Manager in many communities.
- Years of Experience: 3-5 years
- Educational Requirements: Although it is possible to enter the field without formal education, 37% of Technical Program Managers choose to have a bachelor's degree in Business and Management, and 39% pursue master's degrees. Moreover, candidates with extensive project management experience are likely to get the upper hand in the recruitment process.
Average Salary:
- $78,136 (Glassdoor)
- $123,183 (Payscale)
- $143,494 (Indeed)
Range: $53,000 - $162,000
Yearly Cash Bonus: $11,000-$12,500
Senior Product Manager - Executive Level
A Senior Product Manager is a leadership role that entails managing multiple product teams or supervising several Product Managers. The position enables a person to have company-wide decision-making abilities, focus less on hands-on product development, participate in more impactful meetings, and maintain communication with important stakeholders. Some Senior Product Managers also perform basic HR roles, such as recruiting and managing talents.
- Years of Experience: 5-8 years
- Educational Requirements: Almost every product manager job description of a Senior Product Manager, we have come across requires candidates to have formal education in business fields, such as Marketing, Management, or Finance. Demand for a master’s degree is also on the rise. 38% of Senior Product Managers thus have a bachelor's degree, and 47% have master's degrees.
Furthermore, most Senior Product Managers were either of these three in their previous roles: Project Manager, Product Manager, or Marketing Manager. However, it is not uncommon for people from other disciplines to make their way into the field.
Average Base Salary:
- $123,895 (Glassdoor)
- $124,784 (Payscale)
- $139,252 (Indeed)
Range: $82,000 - $165,000
Yearly Cash Bonus: $13,000-$15,000
Group Product Manager - Executive Level
Group Product Managers are in-charge of larger product teams in the company. The role demands leadership. Hence, most managers in this field follow a bigger-picture approach and focus more on team management. However, some tend to lean towards individual contributions and are involved in hands-on product development.
To sum up, Group Product Managers stand on a spectrum between individualism and collectivism.
- Years of Experience: 5-7 years
- Educational Requirements: The more we move up the hierarchy, the less we see product managers without a college degree. Formal education and experience become a pre-requisite for applying to executive-level jobs.
33% of Group Product Managers have a bachelor's degree, while 51% have master's degrees. Moreover, most Group Product Managers have previous career experience as a Senior Product Manager or Marketing Manager.
Average Salary:
- $108,992 (Glassdoor)
- $152,288 (Payscale)
- $195,759 (Product School)*
Range: $99,000 - $193,000
Yearly Cash Bonus: $19,980
Director of Product Management - Executive Level
The Director of Product Management is purely a supervisory role. The Director stands above all other functions that we have discussed until now and is responsible for maintaining a smooth work process. Major roles involve collaborating with other Directors, approving new product development, updating stakeholders, overseeing the entire product line, and acting as the product evangelist.
- Years of Experience: 7-12 years
- Educational Requirement: Unless the company hires the Director of Product Management internally, the recruitment panel usually prefers someone with a Master’s degree, or at least a bachelor’s. A whopping 86% of all Directors at Product Management have reported formal education in their resumes.
Furthermore, previous career experience in a product leadership role is a must-to-have requirement in most job descriptions for Director of Product Management.
Average Salary:
- $149,238 (Glassdoor)
- $144,449 (Payscale)
- $149,234 (Indeed)
Range: $108,000 - $193,000
Yearly Cash Bonus: $19,000-$20,000
Vice President, Product Management - Top Tier Level
You can consider the Vice President of Product Management as the product manager for the organization itself. The VP is responsible for creating company-level product strategy, align the strategy across all departments to deliver optimum business outcomes, lead organizational decision-making, and mentor other executives for future leadership.
- Years of Experience: 9-15 years
- Educational Requirements: Director of Product Management is the stepping stone for becoming a Vice President. Therefore, both roles have the same academic requirements.
Average Salary:
- $181,145 (Glassdoor)
- $172,162 (Payscale)
- $199,414 (Indeed)
Range: $120,000-$239,000
Yearly Cash Bonus: $29,000-$30,000
Chief Product Officer - Top Tier Level
Chief Product Officer stands at the top of a company’s product management pyramid. The Chief drives the entire product operations, makes impactful decisions that lead to sustainable values, and balances organizational and product-level needs. The core goal is to facilitate and streamline product development processes.
In smaller companies, the Vice President assumes the role of a Chief Product Officer.
- Years of Experience: 12-15 years
- Educational Requirements: The same as the other top-tier product management positions.
Average Salary:
- $195,757 (Glassdoor)
- $183,724 (Payscale)
- $199,414 (Indeed)
Range: $112,000-$251,000
Yearly Cash Bonus: $29,500-$30,000
#2 - How Location Impacts a Product Manager Salary
Location is the second most important determinant of a product manager’s salary. It has two components: the cost of living and job demand.
High costs of living translate to higher wages. On the other hand, when demand for product managers outruns the supply in a region, companies will naturally offer more lucrative pay packages.
Product Management Roles Outside the United States
Product managers in the US are paid the highest. Nordic countries are the closest to the US in salary ranges. On the other hand, European nations generally have a high variation in pay scale. In comparison, the average product manager’s salary is relatively high and stable in the Australian continent.
Here is a glimpse of how much product managers make all around the globe.

Product Management Roles Within the United States
There exists a significant standard deviation in a product manager’s pay scale, even inside the country. For instance, the pay scale in New York for product managers is outrageous: 129% above the national average. Cities in the East and West Coasts also report higher salaries.
The following graph describes what amount (in %) cities in the US pay above the national average.

#3 - How Industry Affects a Product Manager Salary
The thumb-rule is that fast-growing industries that rely on technology pay the most to product managers. However, salary variations among companies in the same industry are common as well. Here is a visual comparison of a product manager’s salary across various sectors.

#4 - How Company Strength Impacts a Product Manager Salary
This is a no-brainer. Leading companies will naturally pay their employees higher than the industry benchmark. Although the average product manager’s salary is currently $108k, some of these companies have pushed the bar to beyond $200k.
Following is a list of the eight best places to work as a Product Manager in 2020 for not only their cash incentives but also their vision and personality.

#5 - Certifications as a Factor for Product Manager Salaries
Do certifications determine a product manager’s salary? The link is relatively weak. However, certificates work as confidence boosters or skill upgrades that eventually lead to better performance and salary increments.
If you're still a beginner, product management courses can give you an idea of where to start and help you master the product lingo. Mid-level product managers can refine their understanding and reassess their on-the-job training and methodologies. Finally, executives can pursue certifications to remain updated on the product world, learn current industry standards, and become a visionary leader in overall business process.
Conclusion
Hopefully this article gives you a picture of the salary ranges for product managers and the factors that play into landing a role. We should mention that crafting your resume an another aspect to think about when applying for a product manager role. And we intentionally left out one key factor that plays important role in determining your salary as a product manager, that is negotiation skills.
Product Managers command significant authority in company affairs to merit their desired salary. Negotiation starts with self-development. Take up courses. Pursue cross disciplines. Maybe dive into the basics of coding or design. Engage in more hands-on projects with other departments.
All in all, devote yourself to become a better professional every day. The perks will follow.
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FAQs
What is the highest salary for a Product Manager? ›
The salaries of Product Managers in the US range from $28,000 to $525,000 , with a median salary of $111,000 . The middle 57% of Product Managers makes between $111,000 and $242,000, with the top 86% making $525,000.
How much do you make as a Product Manager? ›In general, entry-level positions that require less than 2 years of experience on average earn US$74,000, 6-10 years earn US$117,000, and 15+ years earn US$154,000.
Who gets paid more Product Manager or project manager? ›Who earns more: product manager or project manager? Generally, product managers make more than project managers in the US. The average product manager's salary in the US is $111,755 a year, while a project manager in the US makes an average salary of $87,637, according to August 2021 data from Glassdoor.
Which company pays Product Manager the most? ›Also on the list of top-paying companies for product managers are Block, Google, Workday, Walmart, and Amazon, with salaries ranging from $151,000 to $156,000.
Why is product manager salary so high? ›Some fast growing industries, especially those depending upon technology, have a higher demand for product managers, thus are more likely to pay higher salaries to feed such demand.
Why are product managers paid well? ›The demand for these professionals is high in the market and many companies pay handsome amounts for this role. That's the primary reason product manager salary in India is quite high.
Can product managers make 200K? ›Our first in the series is a Product Marketing Manager, living in a very popular US tech hub with over 20 years experience in the industry. And they make $200K.
How do you negotiate a product manager salary? ›The three keys to how to negotiate a product management salary are: 1. know your value as a candidate, 2. Understand the industry norms, and 3. have a clear idea of what you want going in. Negotiating your pay ensures that you are compensated fairly for your credentials and duties.
Is product management high paying? ›Product management is a well-paid job and has a high level of job satisfaction. The product manager's salary is primarily based on years of experience, job location and skills. The average annual salary for product managers can range from $61,000 to $200,000 per year.
Whats the difference between a PM and a PMO? ›What is the difference between a PM and a PMO? A PM is an individual responsible for a single project and its goals and objectives, while a PMO is an office responsible for internal or external projects on a larger scale.
Is a program manager higher than a product manager? ›
Differing from company to company, the role of the program manager is to ensure that the company's projects work towards the overall aim of the company. In tech-based companies, the program manager may take on a more technical role than a product manager. Think of the program manager as the CTO or COO of a business.
Is product manager better than Program Manager? ›Both roles have management responsibilities but differ on what company goals they work towards. Product managers are responsible for the development and design of products. Meanwhile, program managers are responsible for all company goals and provide strategic guidance to ensure deadlines are met.
Is product manager a stressful job? ›Every day is different for a product manager. If you like structure and planned sprints for your tasks, product management may be an unpleasant and stressful job for you!
Who gets paid more product manager or engineer? ›Depending on who you ask, product managers earn more than software engineers and vice versa. Keep in mind that experience, tenure, and industry all impact whether one role makes more money than another and vice versa.
Is product manager a prestigious job? ›Product Management is a very hot role right now, as it was listed as the #4 best job in America earlier this year. It's the perfect blend of technical knowhow, creativity, and leadership, making it perfect for those who want to build great products without necessarily having a CS degree or coding expertise.
How old is the average product manager? ›There are over 41,370 product managers currently employed in the United States. 34.7% of all product managers are women, while 65.3% are men. The average age of an employed product manager is 38 years old.
Are product managers happy? ›In general, product managers are happy at work and satisfied with their current position, rating their happiness at 3.8 on a 5-point scale. More significantly, only 9% of respondents ranked their happiness a “1” or “2,” indicating that very few product managers are unhappy.
Do product managers make more than sales? ›Now we're going to look at the sales/field sales manager profession. On average, sales/field sales managers earn a $28,235 lower salary than product managers/sales a year. While the salary may be different for these job positions, there is one similarity and that's a few of the skills needed to perform certain duties.
How much do Amazon product managers make? ›The average Amazon Product Manager earns $148,688 annually, which includes a base salary of $114,494 with a $34,194 bonus. This total compensation is $32,734 more than the US average for a Product Manager. Product Manager salaries at Amazon can range from $57,500 - $205,000 with equity ranging from 0-100K+.
Can product manager become CEO? ›With hands-on experience in this approach, a product manager can prosper in an executive leadership position. In sum, product managers play a crucial role in product development and acquire the right skills that will help them flourish in their career and ascend to the CEO post.
Which degree is best for product manager? ›
A masters degree in business is required for most product management roles.
How much do Faang product managers make? ›The average senior product manager salary is is around $146,000/year. Senior Product Managers at FAANG companies can be paid $250,000+/year and will almost always be offered stock options packages between $40,000 - $200,000/year.
Do product managers get bonuses? ›Nonetheless, 80% of product managers and marketers receive a bonus, about 10% of base salary. These are typically based on company profit (67% of survey respondents), achieving personal goals and objectives (37%), and product revenue (26%).
How long does it take to become a senior product manager? ›Lastly, senior product managers usually have at least five years of experience in the product industry and a Bachelor's degree. Most of them also have several certifications from reputable sources.
How can a Product Manager increase salary? ›Training and career development. Many employers will offer you this from the beginning, but you can ask for this when negotiating. It will show that you are a driven person, and you'll have a bigger chance of a salary raise later on when you develop those skills. Stock options.
Are product managers in demand? ›Great products are the heartbeat of any successful SaaS business, this is why Product Managers are in high demand today. Product Managers can come in many forms, ranging from Generalist PMs to Growth PMs to Technical PMs and even Platform PMs.
Can you negotiate meta salary? ›Everyone can—and should—negotiate their job offer with Meta to receive a competitive compensation package and increase their overall career earnings. Following our salary negotiation strategy will help you approach this negotiation with confidence, ease, and professionalism. At least that's what our clients say!
Do product managers need to code? ›Product Managers are not required to have coding skills. On the other hand, having a basic understanding of programming languages and technical principles may help a PM do his or her job well. There are plenty of free technical resources a PM can refer to if he or she wants to learn more about specific coding skills.
How a Product Manager should spend time? ›More than 70% of respondents said their job included defining marketing plans, buyer personas, and thought leadership, creating sales collateral, and creating demos. Product managers also said they spend time in these areas, especially launch planning, creating demos, and answering sales questions.
Can product managers work remotely? ›Key takeaways
So yes! You can work remotely as a product manager and be just as effective at your work.
What are the 3 types of PMO? ›
Different types of PMO
In order of least support to most support, the three general types of PMO are Supportive, Controlling and Directive.
The Project Manager's role is higher than that of PMO and the PMO works under the Project Manager.
Who is higher than a project manager? ›The director of project management is often the highest-ranking employee in a company's project management operation. The director of program management oversees the company's big-picture planning, including all projects executed by the company.
How do I move from program manager to product manager? ›- Step 1: Work directly on products. ...
- Step 2: Study up on product management. ...
- Step 3: Ask the experts. ...
- Step 4: Build your story. ...
- Step 5: Get out there and interview.
The roles of a Product Owner overlaps that of the Project Manager. However, a Product Owner is authorized to work on prioritisation according to requirements, having domain expertise. Project Managers don't have the authority to do so. Apart from this, Product Owners lack the required project management skills.
What is the difference between a product owner and product manager? ›Let's try to clear things up: In practice, product managers play a more strategic role. They outline and roadmap the product management process throughout the product lifecycle with larger organizational goals in mind. On the other hand, product owners play a more tactical role, focusing on short-term fulfillment.
Is a product manager a project manager? ›Product managers have strategic responsibility for driving the development of products, whereas project managers are responsible for overseeing the execution of those development plans. Before we discuss the specific differences between product and project managers, let's clarify what we mean by each role.
What do you need to be a product manager? ›- Create a portfolio of products that showcase your work.
- Conduct user and industry research.
- Learn about the project management process.
- Seek out ways to solve problems in your current role.
- Take product management courses.
A product manager's job description involves planning and executing the product's lifecycle. It also includes curating and prioritizing the requirements of products and customers. Product managers work closely with the sales, marketing, and engineering teams for various aspects.
Is Product Management a high paying career? ›Product management is a well-paid job and has a high level of job satisfaction. The product manager's salary is primarily based on years of experience, job location and skills. The average annual salary for product managers can range from $61,000 to $200,000 per year.
Who gets paid more product manager or engineer? ›
Depending on who you ask, product managers earn more than software engineers and vice versa. Keep in mind that experience, tenure, and industry all impact whether one role makes more money than another and vice versa.
Do product managers make more than sales? ›Now we're going to look at the sales/field sales manager profession. On average, sales/field sales managers earn a $28,235 lower salary than product managers/sales a year. While the salary may be different for these job positions, there is one similarity and that's a few of the skills needed to perform certain duties.
What does a product manager earn UK? ›Average £48,863 per year.
How old are most product managers? ›The average age of an employed product manager is 38 years old. The most common ethnicity of product managers is White (71.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (11.8%), Asian (9.7%) and Black or African American (4.2).
How much do Amazon product managers make? ›The average Amazon Product Manager earns $148,688 annually, which includes a base salary of $114,494 with a $34,194 bonus. This total compensation is $32,734 more than the US average for a Product Manager. Product Manager salaries at Amazon can range from $57,500 - $205,000 with equity ranging from 0-100K+.
Is product manager a stressful job? ›Every day is different for a product manager. If you like structure and planned sprints for your tasks, product management may be an unpleasant and stressful job for you!
Can product managers earn more than software engineers? ›Certainly, Product Managers get paid more as compared to Software Engineers. Let's understand the role of a Product Manager first. A product manager is a professional role that is responsible for the development of products for an organization.
Do product managers need to code? ›Product Managers are not required to have coding skills. On the other hand, having a basic understanding of programming languages and technical principles may help a PM do his or her job well. There are plenty of free technical resources a PM can refer to if he or she wants to learn more about specific coding skills.
Should I Do pm or SWE? ›If writing elegant code is your true passion, then becoming a SWE is the way to go. On the flip side, if you want more variety and wish to take on tasks beyond software development, then the PM role would likely be a better fit.
How do you negotiate a product manager salary? ›The three keys to how to negotiate a product management salary are: 1. know your value as a candidate, 2. Understand the industry norms, and 3. have a clear idea of what you want going in. Negotiating your pay ensures that you are compensated fairly for your credentials and duties.
Are product managers happy? ›
In general, product managers are happy at work and satisfied with their current position, rating their happiness at 3.8 on a 5-point scale. More significantly, only 9% of respondents ranked their happiness a “1” or “2,” indicating that very few product managers are unhappy.
When should you fire a product manager? ›If your Product Manager is invisible in key meetings, avoids making decisions (or flip-flops on decisions made) and undermines any action taken in his/her absence without reason, then the team will lose trust in that Product Manager rendering him/her ineffective and so you may want to fire her.
How much do junior product managers earn in UK? ›Average £67,733 per year.
What is the salary of a product manager in Germany? ›Product Manager Engineers working in Germany earn normally around 67.500 EUR per year and most of the Product Manager salaries are between 50.000 EUR and 85.000 EUR per year.
What is the difference between a product owner and product manager? ›Let's try to clear things up: In practice, product managers play a more strategic role. They outline and roadmap the product management process throughout the product lifecycle with larger organizational goals in mind. On the other hand, product owners play a more tactical role, focusing on short-term fulfillment.