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

What is a program administrator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Bill McGinley,

Todd Terry

As program administrator, you will be in charge of planning, directing, and coordinating a specific program or service of an organization. Your responsibilities vary by organization and industry. You can work in educational, social services, community, and non-profit organizations. You'll oversee tasks like fundraising, hiring staff, and managing budgets. Additionally, you'll supervise the staff and monitor their work. Moreover, you may write grant reports or find funding to support a program. Also, you'll manage the expenses of the program.

Most program administrators hold at least a bachelor's degree in project management, event management, or a related discipline. You must have prior experience in a similar role. Skills like interpersonal, time management, communication, prioritization, organization, attention to detail, leadership, problem-solving, and decision-making are essential for success in this job. You must be familiar with project management principles. The salary of program administrators varies from $40,000 to $88,000, with an average of $59,457 annually.

What general advice would you give to a program administrator?

Bill McGinley

President & CEO, American College of Health Care Administrators

LTC administrators should have at least a bachelor's degree in business or a healthcare-related field. A well-rounded internship that exposes the future administrator to all aspects of the operation is essential. Needed skills include business, marketing, finance, operations, management and leadership.
Post pandemic opportunities will be nationwide in this field with a greater need in rural areas.
Technology will continue to play a big role in the field. Computerized medical records, census management, and all clinical areas will continue to dominate. Online meetings are liable to continue as well, as employers realize that there is a savings to be gained by not having people travel to meetings and conferences.

ScoreProgram AdministratorUS Average

Salary

4.0

Avg. Salary $50,715

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.7

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 8.80%

Black or African American 8.77%

Hispanic or Latino 12.46%

Unknown 5.07%

White 64.58%

Gender

female 69.37%

male 30.63%

Age - 42

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 - 42

Stress level

5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.0

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.1

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a program administrator

Explore program administrator education requirements

Most common program administrator degrees

Bachelor's

64.0 %

Master's

17.4 %

Associate

12.0 %

Start to develop specific program administrator skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	7.08%
Oversight	6.56%
Patients	6.18%
Project Management	6.12%
PowerPoint	4.10%

Complete relevant program administrator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New program administrators 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 program administrator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real program administrator resumes.

Gain additional program administrator certifications

Program administrator certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific program administrator certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for program administrators include Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP) and Certified Manager Certification (CM).

More About Certifications

Research program administrator duties and responsibilities

Manage monetary, laptop and training supports for members living with HIV.
Manage overall document inventory and wiki updates via SharePoint.
Manage CRM and SharePoint systems for online recruiting technology company.
Manage co-op vendor and provide overall program direction for Toyota dealers and regional offices nationwide.

Prepare your program administrator resume

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

Choose from 10+ customizable program administrator resume templates

Build a professional program administrator 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 program administrator resume.