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What is an administrative and program specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

In order for a project to get done, many logistical elements need to be taken care of, such as scheduling, tracking inventory, and more. Often it is the job of the program manager to keep track of these things, but they cannot do all the administrative work alone. The administrative and program specialist often works under a program manager to help fulfill the program's goals.

An administrative and program specialist can work in many places, such as a nonprofit or a private company. Their day-to-day tasks differ depending on the needs of the workplace or the specific program they are working on at the time. They can also develop efficient procedures, use technologies such as SharePoint to streamline access to information, or do any other administrative task that needs to be done.

Many administrative and program specialists have a bachelor's or master's degree, but it isn't necessary to succeed in this position. Practical experience gained through previous work as an administrative assistant or in a similar position is also helpful. No matter how you develop them, strong organizational skills are a must for this role.

ScoreAdministrative And Program SpecialistUS Average
Salary
4.2

Avg. Salary $53,567

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
3.6

Growth rate -8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.8
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.40%

Asian 5.00%

Black or African American 7.62%

Hispanic or Latino 11.22%

Unknown 4.80%

White 70.97%

Gender

female 81.51%

male 18.49%

Age - 51
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 51
Stress level
3.6

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level
5.7

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.9

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Administrative and program specialist career paths

Key steps to become an administrative and program specialist

  1. Explore administrative and program specialist education requirements

    Most common administrative and program specialist degrees

    Bachelor's

    61.9 %

    Associate

    17.9 %

    Master's

    12.4 %
  2. Start to develop specific administrative and program specialist skills

    SkillsPercentages
    SharePoint6.53%
    Payroll6.08%
    Management System5.89%
    Provides Administrative Support5.42%
    Administrative Tasks5.41%
  3. Complete relevant administrative and program specialist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New administrative and program specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an administrative and program specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real administrative and program specialist resumes.
  4. Research administrative and program specialist duties and responsibilities

    • Assist SVP with managing transition to effectively disband correspondent department and close office.
    • Assist in inventory and tracking of computer components, parts and other relate data through the management of spreadsheet or SharePoint.
    • Design multiple SharePoint sites for various lines of business and revise and convert all internal web-base documentation to the new platform.
    • Resolve discrepancies involving payroll, compensation and benefits.
  5. Get administrative and program specialist experience

    Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become an administrative and program specialist. The most common roles before becoming an administrative and program specialist include administrative assistant, office manager team lead and internship.
  6. Prepare your administrative and program specialist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your administrative and program specialist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an administrative and program specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable administrative and program specialist resume templates

    Build a professional administrative and program specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your administrative and program specialist resume.
    Administrative And Program Specialist Resume
    Administrative And Program Specialist Resume
    Administrative And Program Specialist Resume
    Administrative And Program Specialist Resume
    Administrative And Program Specialist Resume
    Administrative And Program Specialist Resume
    Administrative And Program Specialist Resume
    Administrative And Program Specialist Resume
    Administrative And Program Specialist Resume
  7. Apply for administrative and program specialist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an administrative and program specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first administrative and program specialist job

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Average administrative and program specialist salary

The average administrative and program specialist salary in the United States is $53,567 per year or $26 per hour. Administrative and program specialist salaries range between $34,000 and $83,000 per year.

Average administrative and program specialist salary
$53,567 Yearly
$25.75 hourly

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Administrative and program specialist reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019
Cons

Nasty people calling in with a bad attitude. Favoritism is so blatantly obvious it's painful. The under tone of racism of higher management.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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