How To Become A Day Program Manager: What It Is and Career Path

What is a day program manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Meaghan Goodman Ph.D.

As a day program manager, you'll be an important part of someone's day. You can help those who experience extra challenges in life feel valued and productive throughout their daily lives. Day program managers typically work in facilities which provide supportive assistance to individuals requiring extra care, including the elderly and persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

If you decide to become a day program manager, some of the things you'll be involved in planning and implementing daily activities, encouraging community integration, making admission decisions for referrals based upon client assessments, and ensuring the health and safety of the persons served. Day program managers may also be expected to provide administrative, financial, and operational oversight. Some of the qualities you'll need to become a day program manager include patience and empathy. You'll also need to have excellent leadership, crisis intervention, and conflict resolution skills.

Typically, at least a Bachelor's degree in social services or related field is required for those interested in working as a day program manager. Many employers also require previous experience working with individuals with disabilities.

What's a day at work look like for a day program manager?

Meaghan Goodman Ph.D.

Program Director & Assistant Professor, Maryville University

A bachelor's in communication sciences and disorders can prepare you for three different tracks. First, it can prepare you to become a licensed Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA). This is someone who works under a fully credential speech-language pathologist. Often times, they carryout intervention plans developed by a fully credentialed speech-language pathologist. If graduate school is on your horizon, a bachelor's degree in communication sciences and disorders will prepare you for acceptance into a Speech-Language Pathology program, or an Audiology program. If you are not accepted into a graduate program right away, working as a speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) is a great way to get experience in the field!

ScoreDay Program ManagerUS Average

Salary

2.9

Avg. Salary $36,829

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

9.7

Growth rate 12%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.88%

Asian 5.14%

Black or African American 11.63%

Hispanic or Latino 14.29%

Unknown 5.22%

White 62.85%

Gender

female 74.39%

male 25.61%

Age - 45

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 - 45

Stress level

9.7

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.8

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a day program manager

Explore day program manager education requirements

Most common day program manager degrees

Bachelor's

55.6 %

Master's

15.3 %

Associate

12.0 %

Start to develop specific day program manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Developmental Disabilities	13.54%
Oversight	12.07%
Autism	7.90%
Social Work	7.14%
Direct Support	6.71%

Complete relevant day program manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New day program managers 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 a day program manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real day program manager resumes.

Research day program manager duties and responsibilities

Manage program budgets and supervise staff to ensure that immunization and registry activities are successfully implement.
Participate in staff hiring, training, scheduling, oversight of the program, and supervise assign staff.
Provide socialization opportunities, fitness and wellness activities as well as educational and recreational programs for patients and families.
Counsele customers on credit repair for homeownership and debt management.

Apply for day program manager jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a day program manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

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

How do day program managers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Day program manager reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2020

Pros

Project concept, execution - meeting business and Customer expectations.