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The differences between program analysts and project managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a project manager has an average salary of $91,578, which is higher than the $75,039 average annual salary of a program analyst.
The top three skills for a program analyst include veterans, program management and project management. The most important skills for a project manager are project management, project scope, and customer service.
| Program Analyst | Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $75,039 | $91,578 |
| Hourly rate | $36.08 | $44.03 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 156,716 | 167,116 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.17 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 44 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
The job of program analysts is to plan, manage, and evaluate a company's computer programs. They usually perform different tasks, including researching and analyzing complex data to identify trends and offer the best recommendations for improvements. Other duties for this position may include creating policies and procedures, monitoring and evaluating program performance, and resolving any issues. This role's skills and requirements include a bachelor's degree in computer science, business, or related field. Previous work experience as a program analyst and critical thinking skills are also valued.
Project managers oversee a specific project related to the organization's business. They manage the whole project from inception to evaluation. They initiate planning with involved departments, follow-through on the plans, ensure smooth execution of the plans, and evaluate the project for further improvements should these be needed. In line with this, project managers also ensure that the project is cost-efficient and well within the budget. They also manage the different work teams involved in the project and ensure that things are running smoothly on this aspect as well.
Program analysts and project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Program Analyst | Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $75,039 | $91,578 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $106,000 | Between $64,000 And $129,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a program analyst and a project manager in terms of educational background:
| Program Analyst | Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between program analysts' and project managers' demographics:
| Program Analyst | Project Manager | |
| Average age | 44 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5% | Male, 68.9% Female, 31.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 13.3% White, 64.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.0% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 10% |