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The differences between program assistants and program/project managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a program/project manager has an average salary of $101,850, which is higher than the $35,193 average annual salary of a program assistant.
The top three skills for a program assistant include patients, customer service and data entry. The most important skills for a program/project manager are project management, program management, and PMP.
| Program Assistant | Program/Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $35,193 | $101,850 |
| Hourly rate | $16.92 | $48.97 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 96,901 | 243,017 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 43 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
Program assistants are usually entry-level or junior employees assigned to a department that handles a specific program in the organization. They assist the team they are assigned to in the implementation of the programs. They usually take care of administrative or clerical activities while also getting exposure to actual program management. Program assistants get trained to handle agendas from inception, to sourcing, to implementation, to evaluation. They may also handle documentary support for business cases or other presentation materials that the team may need for a specific part of the program management cycle.
The program manager and project manager are two important positions within a company that are thought to be similar. However, program managers direct diverse projects and programs while project managers head the team who is responsible for ensuring a project is completed on time and within budget. Program managers are responsible for the conveyance of the company goals and generally act as a customer interface that helps clients get their desired update and change of a project. Project managers, on the other hand, focus on the project's schedule, scope, and resources needed to complete it on time.
Program assistants and program/project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Program Assistant | Program/Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $35,193 | $101,850 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $45,000 | Between $74,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | The Aspen Institute | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Government | Professional |
There are a few differences between a program assistant and a program/project manager in terms of educational background:
| Program Assistant | Program/Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between program assistants' and program/project managers' demographics:
| Program Assistant | Program/Project Manager | |
| Average age | 43 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.8% Female, 75.2% | Male, 62.0% Female, 38.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.8% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 6.7% White, 53.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2% | Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 10% |