How To Become A Deputy Program Director: What It Is and Career Path

What is a deputy program director and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Meaghan Goodman Ph.D.

The average deputy program director salary is $111,829. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an business major. It usually takes 4-6 years of experience to become a deputy program director. Deputy program directors with a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 8% and produce 12,800 job opportunities across the U.S.

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

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!

ScoreDeputy Program DirectorUS Average

Salary

7.9

Avg. Salary $111,829

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.0

Growth rate 8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 6.31%

Black or African American 7.77%

Hispanic or Latino 14.29%

Unknown 5.56%

White 65.91%

Gender

female 31.28%

male 68.72%

Age - 39

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 - 39

Stress level

8.0

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.2

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.4

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a deputy program director

Explore deputy program director education requirements

Most common deputy program director degrees

Bachelor's

57.7 %

Master's

29.1 %

Associate

6.0 %

Start to develop specific deputy program director skills

Skills	Percentages
Oversight	16.45%
Program Management	9.96%
DOD	5.84%
Technical Assistance	5.32%
SharePoint	5.19%

Complete relevant deputy program director training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New deputy program directors 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 deputy program director based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real deputy program director resumes.

Research deputy program director duties and responsibilities

Lead the introduction and upgrade of wireless infrastructure at remote locations to ensure adherence with internal and international wireless standards.
Establish internal and external metrics, including on time, delivery, escapes, logistics and turn-around times.
Represent the logistics business division for all quality relate issues including process development for all ISO and Non-ISO certify warehouse locations.
Provide PMO support to multiple global product teams providing consolidation, and standardization of financial information across the organization.

Get deputy program director experience

Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become a deputy program director. The most common roles before becoming a deputy program director include program manager, program director team lead and project manager.

Prepare your deputy program director resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your deputy program director resume.

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