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Product manager job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected product manager job growth rate is 10% from 2018-2028.
About 33,700 new jobs for product managers are projected over the next decade.
Product manager salaries have increased 8% for product managers in the last 5 years.
There are over 43,603 product managers currently employed in the United States.
There are 125,678 active product manager job openings in the US.
The average product manager salary is $111,729.
Year![]() ![]() | # Of Jobs![]() ![]() | % Of Population![]() ![]() |
---|---|---|
2021 | 43,603 | 0.01% |
2020 | 42,281 | 0.01% |
2019 | 41,370 | 0.01% |
2018 | 37,916 | 0.01% |
2017 | 34,729 | 0.01% |
Year![]() ![]() | Avg. Salary![]() ![]() | Hourly Rate![]() ![]() | % Change![]() ![]() |
---|---|---|---|
2025 | $111,729 | $53.72 | +3.9% |
2024 | $107,549 | $51.71 | +1.9% |
2023 | $105,537 | $50.74 | +1.6% |
2022 | $103,918 | $49.96 | +0.8% |
2021 | $103,093 | $49.56 | +1.9% |
Rank![]() ![]() | State![]() ![]() | Population![]() ![]() | # of Jobs![]() ![]() | Employment/ 1000ppl ![]() ![]() |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 389 | 56% |
2 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 2,404 | 32% |
3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,058 | 30% |
4 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 290 | 27% |
5 | Vermont | 623,657 | 171 | 27% |
6 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 803 | 26% |
7 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 1,056 | 25% |
8 | California | 39,536,653 | 9,070 | 23% |
9 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 308 | 23% |
10 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,574 | 19% |
11 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,075 | 19% |
12 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 2,315 | 18% |
13 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 185 | 18% |
14 | Delaware | 961,939 | 175 | 18% |
15 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,527 | 17% |
16 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 927 | 17% |
17 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,659 | 16% |
18 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 563 | 16% |
19 | New York | 19,849,399 | 2,899 | 15% |
20 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 881 | 15% |
Rank![]() ![]() | City![]() ![]() | # of Jobs![]() ![]() | Employment/ 1000ppl ![]() ![]() | Avg. Salary![]() ![]() |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Annapolis | 35 | 89% | $93,864 |
2 | Hartford | 41 | 33% | $95,450 |
3 | Lansing | 36 | 31% | $89,443 |
4 | Atlanta | 105 | 22% | $83,731 |
5 | Tallahassee | 39 | 20% | $81,441 |
6 | Des Moines | 40 | 19% | $79,195 |
7 | Baton Rouge | 34 | 15% | $85,757 |
8 | Boston | 75 | 11% | $96,607 |
9 | Sacramento | 41 | 8% | $130,963 |
10 | Washington | 50 | 7% | $99,221 |
11 | San Francisco | 53 | 6% | $132,367 |
12 | Denver | 44 | 6% | $82,450 |
13 | Indianapolis | 41 | 5% | $84,586 |
14 | Phoenix | 52 | 3% | $96,742 |
15 | San Jose | 35 | 3% | $131,688 |
16 | Chicago | 58 | 2% | $87,141 |
17 | New York | 81 | 1% | $105,696 |
18 | Los Angeles | 38 | 1% | $120,522 |
Georgia Institute of Technology
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Wayne State University
University of Houston - Downtown
San Francisco State University
University of West Georgia
West Los Angeles College
Berea College
Miami University
Wisconsin School of Business, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Manhattan College
Sacred Heart University
The University of Akron
Centenary College of Louisiana
Bucknell University
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
University of Central Missouri
Indiana University
Hawaii Pacific University
Dylan Brewer: Students with a bachelor's degree in economics from Georgia Tech often find employment opportunities in a variety of fields, including technology, consulting, banking, and policy/nonprofit organizations. In addition, lots of students go on to pursue graduate degrees. Here are some typical jobs that economics graduates from Georgia Tech might pursue:
Tech:
Data analyst roles at tech companies like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, etc.
Business analyst or product manager roles at tech firms
Economic analyst positions at tech companies, analyzing market trends and consumer behavior
Positions in financial technology companies, leveraging economic knowledge and data skills
Consulting:
Economic consultant roles at major consulting firms like McKinsey, BCG, Deloitte, etc.
Management consulting positions, providing data-driven business strategy advice
Consulting roles focused on economic analysis, forecasting, and risk assessment
Banking/Finance:
Roles in investment banking, such as financial analyst or associate positions
Positions in commercial banking, such as credit analyst or loan officer
Opportunities in corporate finance, financial analysis, and risk management departments
Roles in asset management firms, hedge funds, and other investment companies
Policy/Nonprofit:
Economic policy analyst positions at think tanks, research organizations, or government agencies
Roles in economic development organizations, analyzing policies and initiatives
Opportunities at nonprofit organizations focused on economic issues, such as poverty alleviation or microfinance
Positions in international organizations like the World Bank or IMF, working on economic development projects
Graduate studies:
Economics PhD and masters programs focused on research
Legal (JD) programs and other social sciences PhD programs
Data science masters programs
The quantitative and analytical skills gained through an economics degree, combined with Georgia Tech's strong reputation in STEM fields, make economics graduates attractive candidates for roles that involve data analysis, forecasting, and strategic decision-making across various industries.
Jaunelle Celaire: Leadership - the world needs more of these; the ability to lead, craft and grow. Digital literacy - this world is definitely turning digital and virtual is the new trend. Emotional intelligence - there is a vast number of personalities in our world today; individuals grow and it is our job to stay emotionally connected, so we can operate more effectively.
Jaunelle Celaire: Never stop learning! This may consist of going back to school, earning new certifications in your field of study, attending conferences and seminars, and making sure that your time management is always at its finest level of excellence.
Jaunelle Celaire: 2. Leadership - the world needs more of these; the ability to lead, craft and grow. Digital literacy - this world is definitely turning digital and virtual is the new trend. Emotional intelligence - there is a vast number of personalities in our world today; individuals grow and it is our job to stay emotionally connected, so we can operate more effectively.
Wayne State University
Mike Ilitch School of Business
Attila Yaprak Ph.D.: Humility, tolerance, appreciation for diversity, empathy, cultural adaptability.
University of Houston - Downtown
Marilyn Davies College of Business
Dr. Richard Conde Ph.D.: The need for soft skills are consistent through time. With our societal focus on social media, texting, emojis, etc. It appears to me companies are looking for the following:
- Active listening skills
- Willingness to be self-reflective and accept feedback
- Accept different perspectives. The collision of ideas creates knowledge
- Communicate to the listener (at their level). Flex communicators
- Cultural intelligence. Demographics changes will require better understanding of team member's, boss', customer's, etc. cultural context
San Francisco State University
Department of International Business
Bruce Heiman Ph.D.: I'm taking my cue on this response from the required Intl Business Courses we offer for a certificate in the Master's programs in business.
-Familiarity with basic international business terms, theories, and vocabulary
-Knowledge of cases and stories from the past
-Multiple language skills beyond English (this sometimes lands people specific jobs)
-Negotiation skills in a multinational/multicultural environment
-Design/creativity skills (e.g., sketching, brainstorming, Idea Mapping, 3D fast prototyping)
-Problem identification/formulation skills/experience
-Experience in a practicum (working on a class project for a real firm on a real problem
Bruce Heiman Ph.D.: -Analytical skills (ability to gather data, clean it, analyze it, write-up results and present on what the meaning of the analysis suggests for action (the last one is most important--"what does it really mean?"
-Some experience and skills with coding in any language (at the moment, Python or C++ are preferred, though Ruby on Rails is also good)
-Deep spreadsheet skills (pivot tables and macros, as examples).
-Relational database skills, including programming (e.g., MySQL)
-Data mining
-AI/Machine Learning experience
Bruce Heiman Ph.D.: -Previous internship/practicum experience in the industry
-Ability to identify and solve problems in an effective manner
-Ability to deploy design/creativity tools in the service of finding and solving problems
-Evidence of ability to manage in the relevant non-English language(s)
-Prior job experience/deep training in a related area
-Prior experience/training managing people/teams
-Ability/experience in working in a team and concretely increasing the team's performance in measurable ways
-Ability to speak with and relate well to people at all levels of an organization, including below, peers, above, and outsiders
-Skills (deep) in working in other cultures and respecting the values and conventions of that culture. Multiple cultures would be worth more
University of West Georgia
Department of Civic Engagement & Public Service
Dr. Sooho Lee: The most important skills should be analytical, communication, strategic planning, and leadership skills.
Dr. Sooho Lee: It depends on the nature of the job. Generally speaking, analytical competence, communication, strategic planning, and leadership skills will greatly help one earn more.
Anthony Cuomo: We have changed the ways in which we communicate with each other. Now, more than ever, we know that technology is pervasive and has revolutionized the way we communicate personally and professionally. Virtual interviews, online group meetings and presentations are the new norm. Job seekers who are able to communicate effectively online will have an advantage in our new context. I don't think Zoom meetings or Skype are going away any time soon. So, practicing how to sustain eye contact with a camera, being personable and communicating enthusiasm virtually will set you apart from other applicants.
Berea College
Economics and Business Department
J. Ian Norris Ph.D.: Digital marketing skills are essential for any area of marketing. Luckily there are many online certifications available for this purpose. On the research side, Google Analytics offers a certification. It will also be valuable to know the analytics platforms on social media sites such as facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Conversely, all of these sites also offer training on digital advertising and promotion, such as Google AdWords. Any coursework in digital marketing that provides instruction in Search Engine Marketing (SEM) will also be highly valuable. Finally, digital video and editing skills are also quite valuable, as all kinds of companies and organizations are using the short video format for storytelling and brand advertising.
J. Ian Norris Ph.D.: No matter what area of marketing you are working in--in fact, no matter what job you are working in at all, statistical literacy is essential. There is so much data out there that data literacy will confer significant competitive advantage to those who can leverage it. This doesn't mean everyone has to be able to do regression modeling, but being able to interpret correlational patterns and draw actionable meaning from it will be a foundational skill. A big bonus would be some basic coding skills. Finally, it is worth mentioning that while most social media marketing still happens on Facebook, it will be essential to know platforms such as Instagram and TikTok for any products or services targeted to younger consumers.
Patrick Lindsay: Sales is a good job out of college. Regardless of the company, the industry, the marketplace or geography, being in the customer interface is not only the best and quickest way to learn about a business but also to learn about business. They are exposed to the impact from and on all stakeholders. They learn about what a value proposition really is and the importance of Trust. They observe and learn the importance of relationships. And they grasp the importance of why over what and how. Finally, sales experience and success is almost universally transferable. Once a grad has a year to three developing competencies, skills and confidence, they can pursue virtually any other product or service in almost any company. They can pursue a next job in sales but also other areas like marketing, customer service, human resources, training, recruiting, et cetera. Employers are not emphasizing industry knowledge or experience like they once did. And many companies, from small local the largest global companies in their industries, insist their new college hires begin in sales (aka account management, business development, client acquisition).
Now, with the proper training (could be a major/minor but doesn't have to be if the graduate has developed a particular skill set) there are many available jobs for graduates that are technology-related. These are "good job" from a compensation and stability perspective. And any position with a global tech firm is a golden ticket.
Patrick Lindsay: Most all employers expect full competency in creatively using technology for communications. By that I don't mean mobile devices or social media usgae. I mean a widespread working knowledge of technology tools (apps, software, etc). Employers are seeking those candidates who can convey thoughts, ideas, responses in a multi-faceted way. Basic competency in written correspondence is no longer enough. Employers want to see daily business communication not only contain demonstration of good writing (grammar, syntax, formatting) but also being able to create embedded images, video, and relevant web links to better communicate. And not just for a big fancy client presentation, but consistently in regular communication. Further, they want words supported by data; support words with numerical evidence. As such, advanced excel skills and real experience in data sources and extraction stand out to employers.
Similarly, they expect professional virtual audio-visual communication. It is not enough to just be on the Zoom call. The expectation is to be prepared, to be engaged, to be aware of the audio and video angles and backgrounds. To demonstrate active listening as well as enthusiastic, energetic, even animated talking. Body language and facial expression are even more enhanced in virtual communications.
If there was a positive outcome from being thrust into an academic world that was all virtual, it was the need to learn new technical skills, not only for classwork, but also for social interaction. This will not only be appreciated by employers, but for many, expected.
Patrick Lindsay: Absolutely, the pandemic will have an enduring impact on these upcoming graduates. Uncertainty is always part of the job search journey/process for future graduates. Uncertainty is now major Anxiety number one for them.
First, the recruiting process drastically changed and opportunities diminished in the past twelve months. Of course the process had to become virtual. But there has been more than a fifty percent reduction in the number of companies participating in career fairs. Further, those companies are anticipating a reduction in the number of available positions, or have said they will have none at all this year. Some only participated to keep their relationships alive with the universities.
Second, companies cannot commit to the full scope of work for new hires, nor the location... because they still don't know. Starting positions will still be virtual WFH. What does that mean for a college graduate? Move back home with parents? Some companies are anticipating a return this summer to office or other work sites that are bricks and mortar locations. Still others say they will stay virtual. Either way, few will commit to where a new graduate will be located. The common position is "We will see where our needs are when the time comes". Rarely have graduates not known the location of their first job.
Third, where millennials were the driving faction for flexible work environs and work from home, in less than one year, many upcoming Gen Z graduates have changed their perspective and are seeking opportunities to commute to work and interact with people in a live daily routine. They do not want to continue living in a virtual world. It took less than ten months to change a cultural movement. This will be a growing field of study for behavioral psychologists, sociologists and anthropologists.
Fourth, many grads are open to a wider bandwidth of positions and industries (other than those seeking a "professional" career in certification trades: accountancy, engineering, architecture, etc.) than they would have been one year ago. The uncertainty of supply always impacts the demand. Likewise, their career criteria and priorities seem to have changed, but in very inconsistent ways.
Patrick Lindsay: Sales is a good job out of college. Regardless of the company, the industry, the marketplace or geography, being in the customer interface is not only the best and quickest way to learn about a business but also to learn about business. They are exposed to the impact from and on all stakeholders. They learn about what a value proposition really is and the importance of Trust. They observe and learn the importance of relationships. And they grasp the importance of why over what and how. Finally, sales experience and success is almost universally transferable. Once a grad has a year to three developing competencies, skills and confidence, they can pursue virtually any other product or service in almost any company. They can pursue a next job in sales but also other areas like marketing, customer service, human resources, training, recruiting, et cetera. Employers are not emphasizing industry knowledge or experience like they once did. And many companies, from small local the largest global companies in their industries, insist their new college hires begin in sales (aka account management, business development, client acquisition).
Now, with the proper training (could be a major/minor but doesn't have to be if the graduate has developed a particular skill set) there are many available jobs for graduates that are technology-related. These are "good job" from a compensation and stability perspective. And any position with a global tech firm is a golden ticket.
Wisconsin School of Business, University of Wisconsin-Madison
International Business
Sachin Tuli: Certainly there will be impact on graduates as there will be impact on society as a whole - but which impact? If economic, we serve students from a variety of national backgrounds, so depending on where our students go after graduation their local economy recoveries could diverge from the global average and that could effect both the job market and salaries. For instance, China is forecasted to continue recovering due to its proactive lock downs and ability to serve foreign markets through this past year. In the U.S., where the majority of our students stay, a strong vaccine program, safety net supports and stimulus will help ensure a recovery at large and likely a post-Covid bump. Though the recovery will be uneven, our students primarily head to medium and large firms that will be well poised to hire, or which may have experienced growth through the pandemic. There will be other impacts on personal finances, health and mental health, among others, that should also be considered. The pandemic has laid bare the inequities in society, and firms are pledging to help address these issues through various actions, such as diversity and inclusion initiatives, and proactive internal training and education.
Sachin Tuli: The pandemic accelerated ongoing shifts with work-from-anywhere and use of remote meeting technologies. With mass adoption at all levels, these trends are likely to persist to some degree across fields and industries. There will likely be less travel for a number of years, but concurrently we may see more cross-team and cross-national collaboration and coordination. From an international business perspective, firms do plan to continue their globalization efforts and we know that graduates themselves increasingly seek potential global opportunities and mobility when choosing which organizations to work for.
Sachin Tuli: Our undergraduate international business program serves as a second major that is coupled with another business major; marketing, finance, and management are most common majors combined with international business. Initial career placement is driven by these first majors, with students using the knowledge and skills gained through the international business curriculum throughout their careers but often leveraging the major directly as they command more responsibility within their organizations. The Wisconsin School of Business continues to place our students competitively with starting salaries having kept pace with industry and peer schools; specific salary information by major can be found here:apps.wsb.wisc.edu
Dr. John Leylegian Ph.D.: I think almost any graduate will finish school with the same skill set in terms of technical knowledge. What can stand out is an ability to code and use various professional-grade software packages - the actual programming languages and software packages are secondary. If you can code in VBA, moving to Matlab or Python is not a big deal - it's just a matter of syntax. If you can use one CFD code or one FEA code, others will be much easier to learn. The foundation will be attractive to employers. Of course, the non-technical skills are SO important as well, most notably communication (speaking and writing).
Keith Hassell: Employers are increasingly looking for applied skillsets and additional certifications to set a candidate apart. Sacred Heart University has recently launched a remote work certification, which houses three modules - focusing on the remote worker, the remote team and the remote leader, providing the tools and resources to comfortably leverage and utilize virtual platforms at various organizations. Additional specialized training, certifications and more are great selling tools pending on the specific area of interest. Certifications are common in areas such as project management, sales, IT/network/software, Google application and more. The candidate needs to think, "What can I do that is beyond my coursework to show I am passionate about my field? How do I make myself stand out?" Certifications is an attainable way to do this.
In addition, soft skills continue to be equally important in today's job market. NACE (the National Association of Colleges and Employers) identified seven core competencies that employers seek from entry level candidates which include critical thinking/problem solving, oral/written communication, teamwork/collaboration, digital technology, leadership, professionalism/work ethic, career management and global/intercultural fluency.
The University of Akron
School of Communication
Rhiannon Kallis Ph.D.: Any experience that is accompanied by measurable outcomes is important to highlight. For example, if a candidate managed social media accounts for an organization, including relevant metrics and measurable objectives would be standout information.
Centenary College of Louisiana
Frost School of Business
Dr. Barbara Davis: Analysis - Graduates will need to analyze situations, identify the best choices, and seek solutions with the highest benefit to the organization.
Creativity - Graduates will need to possess critical and creative thinking skills.
Flexibility - Graduates must remain flexible to succeed in a highly changing environment.
Dr. Barbara Davis: Graduates participating in internships related to their areas of interest. Internships spanning more than one semester at the same firm stand out as well.
Bucknell University
Freeman College of Management
Eddy Ng Ph.D.: Some of the remote economy skills that will be required include:
- self-directed/motivated
- data literacy (analytics)
- digital creativity and design
- IT and cybersecurity, including coding
- distributed leadership
- remote communication and management
STEM will become even more critical
Eddy Ng Ph.D.: Most talent recruitment is already happening online (that will be the best place to engage in career explorations). Recruitment and selection will also be conducted differently, and given the highly specialized nature of remote economy jobs, many talent management (headhunters, search firms) will play a greater role in the recruitment process. Campus recruitment will remain an important tool for talent attraction as many required skills will be scarce at first leading to competition for talent. Bear in mind, given a remote economy, the supply of workers will no longer be restricted to the local or national labour market.
Dr. Timothy Edwards: Writing and research skills. Analytical and critical thinking skills. Technical skills such as web design, graphic design, audio and video production skills. Employers are interested in potential employees knowledge, intelligence and skills.
University of Central Missouri
Department of Communication
Joe Moore Ph.D.: Well, first I would strongly urge them to reconsider taking a gap year. If we are in a pandemic and go into another shutdown, where are you going to work? If you're thinking you'll just go to school at a community college and work on your gen eds, how are you going to do that if they are shut down, too? But, if they DO take a gap year, I would encourage students to work on their writing. That's the skill we see that students struggle with the most, and in talking with employers, it is the one skill that really sets applicants apart. And don't just "write". I mean, start a blog to write about your experiences, practice writing scripts, cover some news in your area, yes. But practice writing WELL. Go to https://owl.purdue.edu/ and do some writing lessons to practice proper grammar. Texting and emails have killed proper writing because it is not expected, but if you have good grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization (basic writing skills) AND can tell a good story, just like that you've set yourself apart.
Davide , Ph.D. Bolchini Ph.D.: In the prospering User Experience (UX) economy, I see more and more "remote" UX internships offered to our students and "remote" UX full-time job opportunities offered to our graduates. Both graduates and employers are more comfortable establishing remote working collaborations, which are becoming now the norm more than before, due to the disruption in the traditional office-bound workspace that COVID brought to the marketplace.
Davide , Ph.D. Bolchini Ph.D.: In my experience, our most successful MS HCI graduates (https://soic.iupui.edu/hcc/graduate/hci/masters/) take the time to put together a compelling online portfolio that showcases their project experience and skill set in action, as applied to specific research opportunities they had with faculty or projects they worked on during their UX internships in the industry. The personal brand of UX junior professional can be greatly enriched when the portfolio includes not only what the student has done, but why and what was the design rationale behind the process and the results, what was the larger context and goal of the project (especially in large collaborative projects), and what was the specific role and contribution of the student. The discussion about the portfolio of a candidate has become a key ingredient of the interview for UX jobs, besides other important activities such as UX design exercises or remote assignments.
Davide , Ph.D. Bolchini Ph.D.: With the many remote work opportunities for our MS HCI graduates, physical location is less relevant than before, and flexibility becomes key. UX job opportunities are plenty in the Midwest, as well as on the East and West Coast, and the roles and competitiveness of these positions vary greatly based on the nature of the organization and the industry ecosystem.
Matthew Lopresti: Captains of industry are often asked about the traits they look for in new hires. Critical thinking is always a must, as well as excellent written and oral communication skills.
These are the core competencies of the discipline of philosophy. Top-notch communication abilities begin with a depth of ability to understand nuanced, complex details, and then turn around and clearly communicate these complex ideas in easily digestible bits of information. It is no coincidence that students who graduate with philosophy degrees repeatedly dominate graduate and law-school entrance exams like the GRE and LSAT; they are often the sharpest thinkers with the quickest minds