An on-campus or online degree in computer science or a related discipline and some business background is good preparation for becoming a software product manager.
Experience as a computer programmer and possessing a broad range of hardware and software computer knowledge will also be very helpful in this position.
Experience as a computer programmer and possessing a broad range of hardware and software computer knowledge will also be very helpful in this position.
Related Software Product Manager Programs
What does a software product manager do?
The software product manager leads a team of individuals that create software applications for computers in both a business and consumer setting. Software products can be separated into three categories:
• Off the shelf products that cannot be customized. You have to adapt your needs to the way the software performs. Microsoft Word is an example of this.
• Software products where you can customize existing software to your needs. This way you have all of the good features of the software and are able to add your specific needs and wants to it.
• Completely customized software where a customer asks for a software application to be built just for their needs.
In the purest sense of the term, the software manager owns the software. He’ll be responsible for developing and maintaining it.
An important member of the software manager’s team will be the computer software engineers. They design and develop the software.
What kind of education does a software product manager need?
A well rounded business education with some computer science is the best education for this career. A Management of Information Systems (MIS) degree is ideal. That’s because the program is usually in the business college. That means the curriculum will include business courses like finance, management, marketing, and economics in addition to computer related coursework like system design and computer science.
How much does a software product manager earn?
Bureau of Labor Statistics suggest that median annual salaries for software product managers are at around $112,210.
Where can a software product manager work?
Since this position is a project oriented management job, the best opportunities can be found in software development firms or companies large enough to have a need to create their own software.