Hey Friends! 👋
If you’re thinking about a career in product management, you’ve probably wondered:
🤔 How much do PMs actually make?
🤔 Does it pay better than other roles like software engineering or consulting?
🤔 What’s the long-term earning potential in PM?
Let’s break it down.
🌍 PM Salaries Depend on Where You Live
Product management salaries vary a lot based on location. The U.S. is the highest-paying market (especially San Francisco), but other regions offer solid compensation too.
Here’s how different countries compare:
- 🇺🇸 U.S. → $215K median, with top PMs making $413K+
- 🇬🇧 U.K. & Europe → $123K median
- 🇦🇺 Australia → $115K median
- 🇨🇳 China → $87K median
- 🇮🇳 India → $50K median
In San Francisco, the median jumps to $281K, and top PMs can hit $500K+. But remember, cost of living is insane there.
🚀 How Much Do PMs Make at Different Career Stages?
Entry-level PM salaries:
- 🇺🇸 $160K
- 🇬🇧 / 🇦🇺 $85K–$100K
- 🇮🇳 $34K–$52K
Mid-career PMs (5–10 years in):
- 🇺🇸 $200K–$300K
- 🇬🇧 / 🇦🇺 $120K–$150K
- 🇮🇳 $70K–$100K
Senior PMs (10+ years):
- 🇺🇸 $300K–$500K
- 🇬🇧 / 🇦🇺 $150K+
- 🇮🇳 $100K+
At the executive level (VP of Product, CPO), U.S. salaries can hit $1M+ (most of it in stock options).
💼 How Does PM Pay Compare to Other Roles?
If you’re choosing between product management and another career, here’s how the salaries stack up:
- Technical Program Manager (TPM) → $230K median
- Software Engineer → $182K median, top earners hit $350K+
- Data Scientist → $170K median, top earners hit $316K
- Product Designer → $163K median
- Management Consultant → $154K median
PM earns more than most non-technical roles, but software engineering has a higher ceiling, especially at the CTO level.
📈 Long-Term Earning Potential
Some roles (like program management) cap out early, while others (like engineering) scale massively.
Here’s what long-term comp looks like:
- VP of Product (~18 years experience): $1M+ (mostly stock).
- Distinguished Engineer: $2.5M–$2.8M.
- Senior Principal Data Scientist: $900K.
- Level 7 Designer (Amazon): $379K.
At the C-suite level (CPO, CEO, CTO), engineering tends to pay the most, but PM isn’t far behind.
🏆 Is PM Worth It?
Short answer: Yes—if you care about pay and influence.
- Great entry-level pay—higher than many jobs.
- High long-term ceiling—especially at the VP/CPO level.
- A mix of strategy, creativity, and leadership.
If you’re only focused on money, engineering will pay more at the highest levels. But if you want a balance of impact, leadership, and compensation, PM is a smart career move.
📩 Want more answers to common PM career questions? Subscribe to this newsletter, and if you have a question for next week, submit it here → 📥 Ask Product Dave
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