PGPM VS PGDM: Which One Should You Choose?

Staying ahead of the competition and progressing up the organisational ladder is essential for everyone. This has led to more people taking management courses that can advance their careers. But, management education offers a wide range of courses, sometimes leading to confusion among aspirants.

While MBAs remain the most popular, PGPM and PGDM courses are rapidly catching up. A PGDM course is a two-year management program designed for fresh graduates, while a PGPM is for professionals with some work experience. If you are looking for a PG management diploma course, you should carefully compare PGPM and the PGDM program to determine the most suitable one.

Keep reading to understand all the differences between a PGPM and PGDM course.

[Also read: top PGDM colleges in India]

PGPM VS PGDM – An Overview

Here are some basic differences between PGDM and PGPM. Take a look -

PGDM

• Students often ask, why pursue PGDM? Because with PGDM, you can ease into the business world as a young professional with little or no work experience.
• Their curriculum incorporates the concepts of management, strategy, and business from scratch.
• Using case studies, assignments, and internships, students would practise management and company principle ideas.
• PGDM full form is Post Graduate Diploma in Management.

PGPM

• PGPM is a diploma course for industry professionals with significant work experience who wish to upgrade their skills.
• They learn to manage skills more effectively, make better decisions, and lead organisations in the course.
• To promote promising employees, employers can finance this course.
• PGPM full form is Post Graduate Program Management.

Differences Between PGDM and PGPM

Criteria	PGPM	PGDM
Duration	Two years	One year
Work experience	Not required	Minimum two years of experience needed
Course fees	₹1 – 20 LPA	₹10 – 25 LPA
Salary	₹8 LPA	₹15 LPA
Eligibility	Students must have scored 60% on their graduation. Students must meet CAT, GMAT, CMAT and MAT cut-off scores. The admission process may include additional rounds of interviews, group discussions, and other tests.	All the criteria outlined in PGDM and the institution's mandatory minimum work experience requirements. Students must check the conditions of their preferred B-School, as they differ from institution to institution.

PGDM Vs PGPM – Benefits of Pursuing

Students can only benefit from PGDM and PGPM programs when they can study the courses appropriately and utilise all available resources.

Benefits of pursuing PGDM

1. Course Framework

The PGDM course can help fresh graduates better understand the business world's challenges and nuances before entering it, benefiting them. In addition to their practical knowledge from the field, they are more aware of the strategic implementation of concepts. As a result, they can compete with their peers more effectively.

2. Enhances Skill Development

By involving students in extracurricular activities, fests, and events, the PGDM program can help them develop holistically. In addition to building leadership and team spirit, they develop organisational skills, personality development, and teamwork skills.

Benefits of pursuing PGPM

1. Benefits financially

There are many PGPM students whose employers pay for their fees. Due to their work experience, PGPM professionals have higher returns than PGDM students.

2. Develop Networking Opportunities

PGPM programs bring together individuals from the industry with similar interests, goals, and career interests. By doing so, they can build a network of potential connections with like-minded people, which can be highly beneficial.

3. Improve Management Skillset

A PGPM can be helpful to candidates with more than five years of experience in the workplace. Strategic planning and implementation are the focus of the course over theoretical components. This way, they acquire the necessary skills to compete for higher management positions.

PGPM Vs PGDM – Which One You Should Choose?

While students may choose one program over the other based on arbitrary criteria, the fact remains that PGDM and PGPM are very similar programs and offer similar benefits. PGDM is made for industry professionals and freshers. In contrast, PGPM is only for professionals.

1. Market Demand: The demand for professionals with experience in finance, marketing, operations, and related industries has been constant despite the pandemic. Many established companies and start-ups offer career opportunities for PGDM graduates. Senior roles in organisations require PGPM graduates to make strategic business decisions, and their skills and abilities are precious.
2. Better Salaries: Graduates with PGDM or PGPM degrees will likely earn higher salaries than those with undergraduate degrees. Also, people with PGDMs and PGPMs have an advantage in negotiating better job and salary terms.

PGDM and PGPM both have their advantages and disadvantages. To get the most out of a diploma in Management, students must thoroughly analyse and comprehend which course will benefit them most, as discussed above.

PGDM Vs PGPM – Job Opportunities

PGDM and PGPMs differ drastically regarding their job prospects. Students who enrol in PGDM programs can expect good salaries and job roles, but lack of experience limits them. Due to their expertise, PGPM students can seek higher positions and therefore have better opportunities.

	PGDM	PGPM
Recruiting Domains	Human Resource Management, Finance, Marketing, Business Development, Data Analysis, Sales, Operations, etc.	Human Resource Management, Finance, Marketing, Brand Management, Product Management, etc.
Job Designation	HR Manager Business Development Manager Marketing Manager Operations Manager Financial Analyst Business Analyst SAP Consultant	Senior HR Manager Senior Financial Analyst Senior Accountant Quality Assurance Specialist Senior SAP Consultant Senior Product Manager Brand Manager

PGPM Vs PGDM Salaries

PGDM students typically enter the workforce in lower managerial roles. In addition to their limited job roles, they can expect lower salaries. It also depends on their specialisations, job roles and profiles.

Listed below are the job roles and salaries of PGDM graduates.

Job Designation	Average Annual Salary
Operations Manager	₹8.28 Lakhs
Human Resource Manager	₹7.7 Lakhs
Business Development Manager	₹7.43 Lakhs

It is possible to raise salaries by up to 17% after completing a PGPM within a year of graduation. As their careers progress towards higher levels of management, PGPM graduates have much scope for salary increases.

PGPM Job Designations	Average Annual Salary
IT Manager	₹20 Lakhs
Operational Manager	₹20 Lakhs
Project Manager	₹10 Lakhs

Conclusion

A candidate should understand all the differences between PGDM, PGPM and MBA before choosing a course/college. You can join any of the top PGDM colleges in India, but review its placement record before admission. To ensure you get good placement after completing your course, sign up with colleges powered by Sunstone. Students who register with Sunstone get placement assistance with guaranteed interviews. 

FAQ - PGDM or PGPM

Is PGPM a valid degree?

• Yes, it is a valid degree offered by the top colleges in India, including IIMs and is equivalent to MBAs.
• PGPM requires aspirants to have at least two to five years of work experience, which varies from institute to institute.

Which is better, PGDM or PGPM?

PGPM is a certification course, not a degree program. This is a typical one-year program, which colleges offer without affiliations. The most significant difference is that you can pursue higher education, like a PhD, after a PGDM.

Who earns more PGPM or PGDM?

PGPM graduates earn more than PGDM due to their work experience.