How To Become A Junior Program Analyst: What It Is and Career Path

What is a junior program analyst and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Sarah Whitley Ph.D.

A junior program analyst evaluates and applies analytic methods to achieve a specified company objective. Since it is an entry-level role, you have to work under the supervision of a senior program analyst. Your responsibilities include data collection and modeling, project testing, and performance measurements. You are to assist the senior program analyst to provide recommendations on how to improve the program and policies of your organization. This role involves the analysis of data to make strategic plans. You have to ensure that changes in outcomes are documented appropriately. You are to also assist with the coordination of events.

A bachelor's degree in a related field is needed to take on this role. It is essential to have strong analytic and problem-solving skills. Effective communication and presentation skills are also basic requirements. Program analysts should have a good knowledge of the industry's best practices. Junior program analysts make around $50,361 every year.

What general advice would you give to a junior program analyst?

Sarah Whitley Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Career Track, Washington State University

highlight the unique value-adds you bring to a position; show tangible outcomes of skills you have developed; highlight how your skills match the minimum and preferred qualifications and how you see yourself contributing to the mission and goals of the organization

ScoreJunior Program AnalystUS Average

Salary

5.8

Avg. Salary $73,959

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.8

Growth rate 11%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 12.53%

Black or African American 8.22%

Hispanic or Latino 9.00%

Unknown 4.51%

White 65.57%

Gender

female 59.15%

male 40.85%

Age - 43

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 - 43

Stress level

6.8

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

2.2

Work life balance is very poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a junior program analyst

Explore junior program analyst education requirements

Most common junior program analyst degrees

Bachelor's

66.3 %

Associate

14.1 %

Master's

8.6 %

Start to develop specific junior program analyst skills

Skills	Percentages
DOD	16.13%
Logistics	13.90%
SharePoint	10.09%
Meeting Minutes	7.17%
Data Analysis	6.80%

Complete relevant junior program analyst training and internships

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

Research junior program analyst duties and responsibilities

Create and manage functional requirement documents for in house development of software applications for healthcare providers and payers.
Assist with event planning, travel and logistics.
Draft, route, and finalize CDRL acceptance/rejection letters establish within the web-based SharePoint for PMA-276.
Collect updates and pull information from SharePoint to prepare briefs.

Prepare your junior program analyst resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your junior program analyst 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 a junior program analyst resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

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