Product Manager

Considering a career as a Product Manager? We’ve got all the information you need to decide if this career is right for you, including job description, requirements, bootcamp information, and salary/job outlook.
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Last updated August 22, 2024

What is Product Management?

Product management combines marketing, development, and analysis to maximize the effectiveness of a product and, in turn, its profit. Product Managers develop the business strategies behind the products, choose its functional requirements, and manage the launch of features. Some Product Managers oversee the team that creates the product and gather feedback from users to launch improvements as well. 

Product Management is a great way to get into the tech industry if you know more about business and marketing but less about coding. You’ll only need to understand the underlying principles of what makes a product work and sell well to get started as a Product Manager. 

How to Learn Product Management

Product management bootcamps teach you the technical skills you need to start your career as a Product Manager and the leadership skills you’ll need to succeed. Some product management bootcamps go so far as to teach UX design and digital marketing as well. Others focus on helping you use your ideas to create a real product during bootcamp. A few of them offer certificates. Product management bootcamps range from 5-12 weeks and cost anywhere from $2,000-$14,000. To help you choose the right one, we've curated a list of this year’s best product management bootcamps. No matter how many accolades a school has, however, make sure you do your research: read reviews, talk to alumni, take an intro course, and ask about job outcomes data.

Types of Product Management Jobs

Product Management combines project management, technical knowledge, and analysis to plan and maximize the effectiveness of a product. The median salary of a Product Manager is $123,000

Product Management job titles include: 

  • Product Management Internship
  • Junior Product Manager
  • Project Lead
  • Solutions Architect
  • Associate Product Manager
  • Product Owner
  • Product Director
  • Chief Product Officer (CPO)
  • Vice President of Product Management
  • Senior Vice President of Product Management
  • Director of Product Management
  • President of Product Management

What Does a Product Manager Do?

In general, Product Managers strategize, plan, and manage the launch of a product or new features for a product. There are different types of Product Managers, and the specificity of the role depends on how large the company is. At larger companies, the Product Manager will focus on a specific part of product management, like strategy, function design, features launching, or feedback implementation.

A good Product Manager will have knowledge of production standards, perform budget oversight, develop sales strategies, create training materials, and develop product plans to increase sales. The Product Manager will be the liaison between the client, stakeholders, and the team that develops the app, including Designers and Developers. They’ll guide the project, make decisions, manage a timeline, and analyze every step of the process. 

What Kind of Skills Do Product Managers Need?

The Product Manager is like the CEO of a product: They set the vision for a product that needs to be built – from a physical product to software to services. They keep the project organized and on track from start to finish. They update the product and continue to keep it marketable and useful. 

Hard Skills Required for a Product Manager

A good Product Manager needs to know how to use product management tools to stay organized and build prototypes. Hard skills (taught at bootcamps) that are required for the position include:

Soft Skills Required for a Product Manager

Don’t discount the need for soft skills, even in a largely technical field. Soft skills that are needed for success as a Product Manager include:

  • Leadership
  • Communication 
  • Time management and organization
  • Strategic thinking
  • Problem-solving
  • Creativity

Job Market and Salary Insights

Product Managers are increasingly in-demand, with job growth increasing by 10 percent between 2018-2028, with 33,700 jobs forecasted over the next decade. The average U.S. salary for a Product Manager depends on experience, location, and education:

  • Entry-level Product Manager: $79,601
  • Mid-level Product Manager: $104,580
  • Senior-level Product Manager: $125,554
  • Product Management Director: $151,484
  • Product Management Vice President: $175,000

In general, most Product Managers have at least a bachelor’s degree, but it isn’t mandatory. You can gain the skills needed for the position in a product management bootcamp. Job opportunities for Product Managers have increased due to the growth of technology products in nearly every industry and the steep increase in digital products, online shopping, and e-commerce.

FAQ Section

What is the career path for a Product Manager?

​​A good Product Manager can rise from intern to VP of Product in 10 years or fewer. Product management bootcamp graduates can expect to secure Associate Product Manager roles for their first job. While everyone's career path is different, a typical career path might look like the following:

Associate Product Manager > Product Manager > Senior Product Manager > Director of Product > VP of Product > Chief Product Officer

Is product management a good career?

Yes, for the right person, there are many benefits of working in Product Management. Product Managers are increasingly in-demand, with job growth increasing by 10 percent between 2018-2028, with 33,700 jobs forecasted over the next decade. It has ranked in Glassdoor’s Top 10 Best Jobs list. It also pays well. If you enjoy learning about the tech sector’s industry trends and have an interest in business, management, and technology, it might be a good career for you.

How do you get into product management?

There are several possible paths to becoming a Product Manager. Some Product Managers get their start with an MBA, others begin with a product management bootcamp, and some even learn how to launch a product through a coding bootcamp. You could go the self-taught startup route and take your idea through an entire product development if you know how to manage, design, code, and market. You might even find a project you can own end-to-end at your current job to dip your toes into the position.

What does a Product Manager do?

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FEATURED SCHOOLS

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Product Manager Schools
Displaying schools 101-115 of 115 in total
  1. code-first-girls-logo
    0 Reviews
    4 Courses

    About This School

    Code First Girls is a UK-based tech training provider offering 16-week, online, part-time CFGDegrees covering topics like full-stack development, software engineering, data, and product management. Students may also opt to enroll in a +Masters course if they qualify after completing their specialization. Code First Girls is dedicated to closing the employment gap for women and underrepresented groups in tech with free training for students of all experience levels.

  2. google-career-certificates-logo
    0 Reviews
    6 Courses

    About This School

    Google is a multinational technology company offering Career Certificates, which are 24-week, online, self-paced bootcamps covering topics like cybersecurity, data analytics, digital marketing & E-commerce, IT support, user experience, and project management. Google Career Certificates also offers advanced career training for students that want to further their knowledge. Students that complete a career certificate may be eligible to receive up to 12 hours of college credit.

  3. itcity-consulting-inc.-logo
    0 Reviews
    3 Courses

    About This School

    ITCity Consulting Inc is a Canada-based tech training platform offering bootcamps covering topics like business analysis (12 weeks), front end development (12 weeks), and quality assurance analysis (16 weeks). Students have access to on-demand mentorship to ensure their success. ITCity Consulting also offers certification courses for students interested in learning more about project management styles.


  4. About This School

    Hawkeye Community College Bootcamp is an online tech training provider offering part-time bootcamps covering topics like back end development (18 weeks), data engineering (26 weeks), and digital marketing (16 weeks). Programs feature a project-based curriculum to give students hands-on experience with the concepts they learn. Each student receives weekly one-on-one meetings with a mentor to help keep them on track.


  5. About This School

    Elgin Community College Bootcamp is an online tech training provider offering part-time bootcamps covering topics like back end development (18 weeks), data engineering (26 weeks), and digital marketing (16 weeks). Programs feature a project-based curriculum to give students hands-on experience with the concepts they learn. Each student receives weekly one-on-one meetings with a mentor to help keep them on track.


  6. About This School

    Central Washington University Bootcamp is an online tech training provider offering part-time bootcamps covering topics like back end development (18 weeks) and data engineering (26 weeks). Programs feature a project-based curriculum to give students hands-on experience with the concepts they learn. Each student receives weekly one-on-one meetings with a mentor to help keep them on track. 


  7. About This School

    The Wake Forest University Tech Bootcamps is a tech training provider offering online full-time and part-time programs in coding, cybersecurity, data analytics, DevOps, and product management. These bootcamps are taught live online by industry-experienced instructors and are powered by Fullstack Academy. 


  8. About This School

    TS4U IT Engineering Bootcamp is a training provider offering online, self-paced or hybrid bootcamps covering topics like software quality automation engineering (36 weeks), front end web development (52 weeks), and MERN full-stack software engineering (52 weeks). Bootcamp curriculums are project-based to give students practical experience in the topics they cover. TS4U is driven by the value of providing access to corporate training models for underrepresented communities and low-income adults. 

  9. mentorme-logo
    0 Reviews
    1 Course

    About This School

    MentorMe is a tech training provider offering a 12-week, part-time, online Scrum Master bootcamp. The Scrum Master bootcamp will teach students to enhance their problem-solving abilities and leadership techniques through a mix of engaging lessons and collaborative exercises. Students will get hands-on experience through projects directly from Fortune 500 companies, allowing them to apply what they learned in true-to-life scenarios. 

  10. exponent-logo
    0 Reviews
    1 Course

    About This School

    Exponent is an online, subscription-based career advancement platform designed to help tech professionals nail technical interviews at both Tier-1 companies and startups. Exponent offers interview prep courses for a wide range of careers, including data science, cybersecurity, machine learning, UX design, software engineering, and digital marketing. Exponent also offers interview prep courses for major companies, including Google, Amazon, and Meta. 

  11. nextleap-logo
    0 Reviews
    3 Courses

    About This School

    NextLeap is an India-based tech training provider offering online, part-time tech fellowships covering topics like Product Design (12 weeks), Product Management (12 weeks), and Data Analytics (16 weeks). Students will complete projects throughout their fellowships to help reinforce the topics they cover. Students will also complete a final project that will determine their eligibility for career services.

  12. ixperience-logo
    0 Reviews
    6 Courses

    About This School

    iXperience is a credit-bearing, study-abroad career accelerator program for university students based in Cape Town, Lisbon, Tel Aviv, and Berlin, in partnership with the University of Virginia. iXperience offers a 6-week iX learn and intern program, which combines blended learning courses with interning experiences taught by industry experts in full stack coding, data science, visual design, product management, management consulting, cloud computing, digital marketing, or investment finance. The program begins with a week of Global Studies, followed by two weeks of classroom learning, and finishing up with three weeks of work experience at a local company with support from teaching staff. Class sizes are limited to 25 students with help from hands-on teaching assistants to ensure that complex concepts are grasped. Outside of class, students can explore their host city, with planned excursions like food tours, surfing, diving, hiking, sailing, and cultural immersions. Modern accommodation is provided and located near vibrant restaurants, cafes and public transport.

  13. ntier-training-logo
    0 Reviews
    3 Courses

    About This School

    nTier Training offers 8-week technical courses designed for national and international corporate IT departments and teams. nTier Training works with companies to address skill gaps through immersive bootcamps in full stack web development, Agile development, test driven development, Java, Design, and DevOps. Valuing hands-on labs over lecture, nTier Training leverages the experience of each team to customize course content to meet business needs. Courses promote team collaboration and support in-depth learning with on-site classes designed to give students immediate feedback and individual attention.

  14. intela-education-logo
    0 Reviews
    4 Courses

    About This School

    Intela Education offers a full-time, 4-day data science course in Los Angeles and San Jose, California, and Calgary, Canada. This hands-on course covers the fundamentals of data science, Python, machine learning, artificial intelligence, Apache Spark, and more. Intela Education’s goal is to provide machine learning and data science expertise to students from across the globe to help nurture top talent and create opportunities for collaboration. During the course, Integrated Technologies Laboratory (Intela) provides students the completely free opportunity to use cutting-edge platforms for all computing needs.


  15. About This School

    The Valley Business & Tech School is a training provider offering online and in person, part-time  Master programs in Full Stack Web Development (30 weeks), UI/UX Design (24 weeks), Digital Project Management (16 weeks), and Data Science, AI, & Big Data Analytics (40 weeks) to students in Spain, Chile, Colombia, and the Canary Islands. Students will complete real world projects to give them hands-on experience in the topics they cover. The Valley Business & Tech School also offers specialization programs and online microlearning programs for people who are looking to upskill. 

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