OVERVIEW
What is a Project Manager?
Project managers are the ones responsible for ensuring the entire team understands the needs for certain projects or tasks. They take a leadership role on the team, work across multiple groups within the organization, and often utilize software to keep everything on-track. Project management is a relatively new field that is growing in popularity as more organizations understand the need for one central person who is keeping everything about a project or plan going.
Project managers do exactly what you'd expect them to do: They manage projects. More specifically, project managers oversee projects from concept through completion and collaborate with all of a project's contributors.
It's a role with an incredible amount of responsibility. A project's success—or failure—usually falls squarely on the project manager's shoulders.
RESPONSIBILITIES
What Does a Project Manager Do?
A project manager's day-to-day workload varies depending on how far along the project is. But most project managers share common tasks including:
- Hold a daily stand-up going over the tasks for the day. Project managers can arrange small check-in opportunities during the day or week to help keep everyone on-task and give updates.
- Identify and manage the scope of a project. Project managers are tasked with understanding all of the elements needed for a project and being able to communicate that to employees.
- Assign a team's tasks. Knowing everyone's roles and responsibilities and being able to assign tasks is essential for project managers.
- Participate in client meetings and communicate with outside stakeholders. Project managers are often involved in many meetings so they can understand the direct needs for everyone on the team.
- Track a project's budget and schedule. Budget and schedule changes can throw a project off-course, so project managers are needed to keep everything going smoothly.
- Advocate for the customer or team. Project managers work with everyone involved in a project, so they are able to be the advocate for team members, clients, or other departments when needed.
- Lead junior members on the team. Project managers may have to help newer or junior employees get up-to-speed on areas of software, training, and tactics.
- Build new workflows and facilitate vendor cooperation. Workflow software is regularly used by project managers to manage timelines, communicate with vendors, schedule meetings, and assign tasks.
- Troubleshoot issues. If there is an obstacle, a project manager may create meetings or workaround solutions to help things get back on track.
- Develop solutions to meet client requests. Ultimately a project manager is focused on solutions to ensure everyone is happy with how the project is going.
Do Project Managers Need Certifications?
Some project managers may find benefits in certifications such as the Certified Associate in Project Management credential or the Project Management Professional certification. These certifications can help you enhance your résumé and prepare you for additional career opportunities. These certifications are particularly useful in the IT field, but can be utilized in any industry to help you progress your project management career.
EDUCATION & BEST DEGREES
How to Become a Project Manager?
They keep their team on task, on time, and on budget—they're the project manager. But who is the project manager, really, and what do they do?
Let's dive into a typical project manager job profile to find out what a project manager does, how much they earn, what skills and certifications they need to have, and, most importantly, how you can become one.
What Are the Education Requirements for a Project Manager?
Most project managers hold a bachelor's degree and have some experience in their field in order to work their way up. A master's degree or a business certificate can additionally be helpful in helping project managers thrive in their field, and move up to higher roles. Business is an ideal field for project managers because it can help them understand the ins and outs of management processes, budgets, strategy, and more. While there are many fields project managers can work in, business education can help project managers be ready for the different fields where they may be required to work.
Additionally if you want to become a project manager in an IT specific field, an IT master's degree can help you get the software and management skills you need to work in that industry. An IT specialization can help you focus directly on unique software and systems needed for project success in those areas.
Best Degrees for a Project Manager
Business
Business Management – B.S. Business Administration
Hone your business acumen and garner added respect:...
Hone your business acumen and garner added respect:
- Time: 61% of graduates finish within 19 months
- Tuition: $3,755 per 6-month term
- Courses: 40 total courses in this program
Skills for your résumé this program will teach you include:
- Business communication
- Product development
- Decision making models
- Project management strategies
- Budgeting for business
This online degree program is an excellent choice for kick-starting your organizational management career.
Business
IT Management – B.S. Business Administration
IT managers are needed in nearly every organization:...
IT managers are needed in nearly every organization:
- Time: 61% of graduates finish within 19 months
- Tuition: $3,755 per 6-month term
- Courses: 40 total courses in this program
Skills for your résumé you will learn in this program include:
- Team Leadership
- Operations Management
- Communication
- Agile Project Management
- Analytical Techniques
- Information Technology
Key competencies of these online courses align with industry needs: management and leadership, networks and security, and information systems management.
Technology
Accelerated Information Technology Bachelor's and Master's Degree
Earn both your bachelor’s in IT and master’s in IT management at a faster...
Earn both your bachelor’s in IT and master’s in IT management at a faster pace with fewer courses.
- Time: Approximately 5 years.
- Tuition: $3,835 per 6-month term for the bachelor's degree; $4,040 per term for the master's portion.
- Courses: 42 total courses in this program.
Certifications included in this program at no additional cost:
- CompTIA A+
- CompTIA Network+
- CompTIA Security+
- CompTIA IT Operations Specialist
- CompTIA Secure Infrastructure Specialist
- Amazon AWS Cloud Practitioner
- ITIL®*^ Foundation Certification
- PMI CAPM
- LPI Linux Essentials
Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:
- Scripting and programming
- Networking and security
- Systems and services
- Data management
- Business of IT
This program allows students to earn their bachelor's degree in IT and move directly into a master's degree in IT management, cutting down on the total number of courses to complete.
Business
Marketing – M.S.
Two online marketing master's degree options with a focus on either...
Two online marketing master's degree options with a focus on either digital marketing or marketing analytics.
- Time: 61% of graduates finish WGU master's programs in 18 months
- Tuition: $4,755 per 6-month term
- Courses: 10 total courses in this program
- Specialization: Students choose from two specializations to focus their marketing studies on digital marketing or marketing analytics
Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:
- Management
- Strategic Planning
- Digital Marketing Analytics
- Presentations
- Market Research
- Communications
A marketing master's degree will help you prepare for a wide range of exciting marketing careers.
Technology
Information Technology Management – M.S.
A degree for experienced IT professionals ready to lead....
A degree for experienced IT professionals ready to lead.
- Time: 60% of graduates finish within 18 months.
- Tuition: $4,040 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 10 total courses in this program.
Included in your program—at no extra cost—is the opportunity to earn the valuable PMI Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification.
- Technology operations and integration
- Sourcing and planning
- Risks and influence
- Solutions development
- Project management
Maximize the opportunities that your IT career path has afforded you—earn your master's and keep moving up.
Business
Master of Business Administration
The flexible MBA program you need, focused on business management,...
The flexible MBA program you need, focused on business management, strategy, and leading teams:
- Time: Graduates can finish in 12 months
- Tuition: $4,755 per 6-month term
- Courses: 11 total courses in this program
Skills for your résumé you will learn in this program include:
- Leadership strategies
- Talent management
- Communication
- Data collection and interpretation
- Financial statements
Our competency-based model gives you an innovative learning experience you won't find anywhere else—and our MBA grads tell us they loved accelerating their program to see a faster ROI.
Business
Management and Leadership – M.S.
An online master's degree focused on change management, innovation, and...
An online master's degree focused on change management, innovation, and leading teams:
- Time: 60% of graduates can finish in 17 months.
- Tuition: $4,755 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 10 total courses in this program
Skills for your résumé that this program will teach you:
- Leadership
- Management
- Coordinating
- Communications
- Performance Management
- Planning
Develop a comprehensive suite of leadership skills and your confidence to navigate changing business structures.
Business
MBA Information Technology Management
Earn the online college degree that can move your career into IT upper...
Earn the online college degree that can move your career into IT upper management:
- Time: Graduates can finish in 12 months
- Tuition: $4,755 per 6-month term
- Courses: 11 total courses in this program
Sample careers and jobs this business degree will prepare you for:
- Management
- Project Management
- Leadership
- Innovation
- Communications
- Information Systems Security
Learn to navigate emergencies, execute strategies, and optimize systems with the competencies within this specialty MBA.
Business
Leadership Certificate – School of Business
Enhance your résumé and take a step in your educational journey with the...
Enhance your résumé and take a step in your educational journey with the help of a leadership certificate from the School of Business.
- Time: 4 months from start to finish.
- Cost: $2,250 for the certificate.
- Courses: 3 courses total in this program.
This program is for emerging leaders, however this program does not require a bachelor’s degree, and provides transferable credit towards a WGU degree program.
Whether you aspire to work for a Fortune 500 organization, a government agency, a non-profit organization, or a fast-paced start-up, this certificate can give you the keys to success in a variety of industries, including:
- Finance and Banking
- Healthcare
- Manufacturing
- IT
- Consulting
- Nonprofit
- Government
How Much Does a Project Manager Make?
$95,500
The average salary for project managers is around $95,000 per year, with experienced project managers in certain industries earning more than $159,000 per year. The amount you can earn will greatly depend on your education—a master's degree can help you earn more and be eligible for higher positions. Similarly your location and the industry where you are working impact your earning potential.
What Is the Projected Job Growth?
7%
Project management jobs are expected to grow 7% by 2031 according to the Project Management Institute. As more organizations come to understand the value in project management, more jobs will be created. There is already a shortage of qualified project managers, and the talent and opportunity gap is expected to grow. Now is an ideal time to earn a degree and pursue a career in project management because there are many job opportunities.
SKILLS
What Skills Does a Project Manager Need?
- Great communication
- Experience with budgeting
- Scheduling proficiency
- Ability to learn software and task-tracking systems
- Strong organization
- Collaboration across departments and teams
- Good leadership
- Knowledge of spreadsheets
- Time management
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