Product management has exploded into a high-demand role, with product managers making an average salary of ~$128k. Glassdoor ranked the profession as one of the best jobs to have in 2020.
You can pivot from any educational or professional background into a career in product management, but mastering the basics can give you an edge in a competitive field.
There is an array of product management courses online to get you started. Some come from top-ranked universities, while others are made by veterans of the industry. Picking the right one will help aspiring product managers gain the skills and tools needed to enter the field.
Product Management Courses
- Product Strategy by Northwestern University
- Product Management 101 by Todd Birzer
- Product Management: Building Great Products by Jon Kolko
- Product Manager Certification Course by Product HQ
- Product Toolkit by Product Toolkit
- One Month Product Management by One Month
- Product Management Course by Product School
- Product Management First Steps by LinkedIn Learning
- Fundamentals of Product Management by Stanford University
- Become a Product Manager | Learn the Skills and Get the Job by Cole Mercer and Evan Kimbrell
- Product Management by General Assembly
- Blackblot Strategic Product Manager™ Course by Blackblot
- Product Management In-Person Training by 280 Group
- Product Management Certificate Course by BrainStation
- Product Management Certificate Program by UC Berkeley
Best Online Product Management Courses
Product Strategy by Northwestern University
This course by Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management aims to cover the entirety of product strategy. From how a product’s life cycle involves different departments to marketing, the program teaches students methods used by top technology companies in the world.
Price: $2,622 (one-time payment)
Format: Live instructions; part time
What’s Good:
- Gives a comprehensive overview of product strategy, from legal considerations to manufacturing to design
- Partners with major companies, including Amazon and JPMorgan
- Offers flexible payment options
- Enables team-based learning, allowing students to pair up with each other
Pro Tip: Take advantage of their flexible tuition options, paying in two or three installments instead of one
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Product Management 101 by Todd Birzer
Birzer has worked in product management for 25+ years across multiple industries, and his course brings together everything he learned in his career. More than 74k students have taken his course on Udemy.
Price: $24.99 (one-time payment)
Format: Self-paced
What’s Good:
- Boasts a 4.6 rating from 13k+ reviews
- Includes five hours of video and 60+ articles and resources
- Created specifically for those looking to kick-start their product management career
Pro Tip: Try Udemy’s seven-day free-trial personal plan, granting you access to this course and 6k+ others
Product Management: Building Great Products by Jon Kolko
Four-time author Jon Kolko has worked in and taught design strategy for over two decades. His online course provides aspiring product managers a solid foundation in the more creative aspect of the field, including visualizations and design.
Price: $44.99 (one-time payment)
Format: Self-paced
What’s Good:
- Gives students a design-focused approach to product management
- Includes 1.5 hours of video and 11 articles and resources
- Teaches students how to create visuals for their product ideas
Pro Tip: Go through the course with a work friend and hold each other accountable
Product Manager Certification Course by Product HQ
Dhaval Batt created this course to address problems he encountered breaking into product management. In addition to the fundamentals, students learn job-hunting skills and interview tips to beat out other candidates.
Price: $350 (one-time payment)
Format: Self-paced
What’s Good:
- Takes an interactive approach to teaching, with a project students can work on day-to-day
- Offers access to an active community of 9.5k+ product managers via Slack
- Taught by a professional who transitioned into product management, making the course perfect for career changers
- Includes new content to be added in the future, including bonus course material and interviews with product managers
Pro Tip: Feature the side project from the course in a professional portfolio
Product Toolkit by Product Toolkit
Linda Zhang created a toolkit she wished she had when applying for product management roles. She uses her experience as a startup growth product manager to teach professionals career strategy tips, product planning frameworks, and execution strategies.
Price: $119 (Starter Kit, one-time payment), $179 (Essentials Kit, one-time payment), $499 (Premium Kit, one-time payment)
Format: Self-paced
What’s Good:
- Features 76 lessons, 70 examples, 28 templates, and 11 videos
- Offers tips for negotiating higher salaries and making the most out of the first few months of being a product manager
- Focuses on practical uses of product management versus more theoretical applications
Pro Tip: Try free lessons before buying the course to see if it works for you
One Month Product Management by One Month
Product manager Christian Arca created this course to help entrepreneurs and business leaders pursue product ideas. Unlike traditional product management courses, the program aims to help students launch actual products.
Price: $199 (annual subscription)
Format: Self-paced
What’s Good:
- Provides applicable steps on launching products, potentially giving students a side project to pursue
- Taught by a former product manager at Etsy
Pro Tip: Create a free account to get a preview of the syllabus and course content
Product Management Course by Product School
Founded in 2014, Product School provides product management training to product professionals around the world.
Experts in product management educate learners on product management, data analytics, coding, blockchain, and digital marketing. These instructors come from a variety of companies, including Netflix, Google, and Facebook.
Price: $154 (monthly subscription)
Format: Live instructions; part time and full time
What’s Good:
- Students can select courses taught by different product managers, including those from big tech companies
- Offers part- and full-time courses
- Small class sizes make learning more personalized
- Offers free access to tools used by product managers
Pro Tip: Select a course taught by a product manager that works in an industry or company you hope to enter
Product Management First Steps by LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning has a plethora of courses and resources for professionals. Doug Winnie’s introductory course teaches students the six phases of product management, from research to retirement, and the type of work product managers do.
Price: $29.99 (monthly subscription, first month free) or $239.88 (annual subscription, first month free)
Format: Self-paced
What’s Good:
- Taught by former Adobe principal product manager
- Boasts a 4.7 rating from 13k+ reviews
- Features a Q&A section where students can engage with each other
- Shows students the day-to-day work of a product manager
Pro Tip: With a LinkedIn Learning subscription, you can take this course and hundreds of others. For example, try the nine-course pathway on how to become a product manager
Fundamentals of Product Management by Stanford University
Professionals longing to learn about product management in a classroom setting will benefit from Stanford University’s introductory course into the subject. Featuring Kunal Punjabi, a veteran product manager, the course walks students through the ins and outs of product management theories and frameworks.
Price: $810 (one-time payment)
Format: Live instructions; part time
What’s Good:
- Features a virtual classroom setting, including breakout rooms and group activities
- Gives students networking opportunities with the instructor
- Teaches students product management theories, including critical frameworks
Pro Tip: Though the virtual sessions are optional and recorded, attend them live to interact with other product managers and the instructor
Become a Product Manager | Learn the Skills and Get the Job by Cole Mercer and Evan Kimbrell
Instructors Cole Mercer and Evan Kimbrell come from two backgrounds: the corporate world and the startup space. Both have worked years as product managers, and their course brings together their experiences, providing students with an exhaustive overview of the field.
Price: $99.99 (one-time payment)
Format: Self-paced
What’s Good:
- Features 13 hours of video and 145 articles and resources, including career advice
- Boasts a 4.6 rating from 46k+ reviews
- Claims 4k+ graduates have gotten product management jobs at companies like Google, Airbnb, and Dell
Pro Tip: Use their end-of-course resume, job hunting, and interview lessons to maximize your chances at landing a role
Product Management by General Assembly
General Assembly boasts a myriad of courses for professionals, including product management. In their course, students learn how the role works in the real world — equipping students with in-demand skills employers need.
Price: $3,950 (one-time payment)
Format: Live instructions; part time or full time
What’s Good:
- Leads students to completing a professional portfolio at the end of the course
- Instructors come from top companies, including Google and eBay
- Offers real-time, individual support during office hours
- Connects students to 70k+ General Assembly alumni
Pro Tip: If you plan on switching roles internally, your company could help pay for tuition — 45% of General Assembly students receive aid from their employers
Blackblot Strategic Product Manager™ Course by Blackblot
Blackblot provides educational services for market and business leaders. It also developed the Blackblot PMTK Methodology™, a set of comprehensive product management templates and models for educating people on the best strategies when creating products.
Price: Varies
Format: Live instructions; part time or full time
What’s Good:
- The program includes the chance to take an exam to receive an international accreditation in product management
- More than 90% of attendees report understanding product management better after the program
- Promises free professional support to all graduates during their product management careers
- Students receive additional resources, including a digital book, tests, and more
Pro Tip: To receive training, sign up early for their waitlist for the next available classes
Best In-Person Product Management Courses
Product Management In-Person Training by 280 Group
The education company leverages 20+ years of product management experience. It has taught 75k+ students, including teams from LinkedIn, Adobe, Dell, and more. Their instructors come from a variety of industries and companies, including Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft.
Price: $3,495
Format: Live instructions; part time
Location: Austin, Texas
What’s Good:
- Facilitates a team-based final project, which students can add to their portfolio
- Offers different levels of programs depending on students’ product management knowledge
- Features courses from how to become a product manager to leadership best practices after acquiring a role
- Hosts specialized courses, including those on digital, agile, and optimal product management
Pro Tip: Before picking a course, consider the type of product management career you want to pursue and select one that aligns with your goals
Product Management Certificate Course by BrainStation
BrainStation builds programs that offer digital skills training to individuals and businesses. It offers five categories of courses — data, design, development, product, and marketing — with a plethora of options in each.
Price: $3,250
Format: Live instructions; part time
What’s Good:
- Students collaborate with professional from different departments, including UX designers and marketers
- Features veteran product managers from companies such as Peloton, Audible, and more who network with students
- Partners with industry experts from Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, and others to ensure material has real-world applications
- Provides students with a weekly, step-by-step process to iterate on a product management project
Pro Tip: Courses last several weeks, so align their learning pathway during your slower work months
Product Management Certificate Program by UC Berkeley
UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business teaches a product management program in a more traditional classroom setting. Students learn from professors who have worked in fields from customer-focused design to competitive strategy.
Price: $7,950
Format: Hybrid. Online portion: part time; in-person portion: full time
What’s Good:
- Offers six weeks of content students study online before applying theories during an intensive in-person week
- Features world-renowned professors from Berkeley Haas
- Instructors currently work in the field of product management, leveraging their working knowledge in their teaching
Pro Tip: Register two months in advance and receive their early bird discount of 10%