Do you know the professionals responsible for improving education quality in schools and other academic institutions? These are non-other than Program Development Specialists. They typically plan curriculums, choose textbooks, train teachers, and create programs for extracurricular activities.

As a developmental program specialist, you must have a bachelor's degree in history, mathematics, or another specific field of study. A graduate-level degree is encouraged by most employers. Additional education may be required to learn more about research studies, curriculum effectiveness, and student performance. It will help if you are equipped with new techniques and advancements in technology.

Similarly, you need to have outstanding oral and written communication skills. Decision-making and organizational abilities are also essential, primarily when you conduct research. Subsequently, in this position, your median annual salary would probably be around $61,210.

What Does a Program Development Specialist Do

There are certain skills that many program development specialists have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed communication skills, creativity and instructional skills.

Learn more about what a Program Development Specialist does

How To Become a Program Development Specialist

If you're interested in becoming a program development specialist, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 65.1% of program development specialists have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 23.1% of program development specialists have master's degrees. Even though most program development specialists have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Learn More About How To Become a Program Development Specialist
Top Program Development Specialist Jobs Near You

Program Development Specialist Career Paths

Average Salary for a Program Development Specialist

Program Development Specialists in America make an average salary of $53,724 per year or $26 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $83,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $34,000 per year.
Average Program Development Specialist Salary
$53,724 Yearly
$25.83 hourly

What Am I Worth?

salary-calculator

Roles and Types of Program Development Specialist

There are several types of program development specialist, including:

Trainer

Role:

There are a lot of different types of trainers. Your definition of a trainer would be very different from someone else's definition. Maybe you think of a gymnasium setting when you think of a trainer. Or maybe you imagine an office setting. Either way, you would be right.

As a trainer, you have unlimited job opportunities to look forward to. From gym trainers and personal trainers to corporate trainers and technical trainers, you get to decide what office you'd rather work in. A lot of the responsibilities between the different types of trainers remain the same.

At the heart of being a trainer, your goal is to motivate your team. Whether it's pushing out five more push-ups or committing to five more minutes of productivity, you get to be their coach and mentor. You're going to be the person they come to when they're struggling with accomplishing a goal. So your listening skills need to be off the charts.

  • Average Salary: $47,574
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Facilitator

Role:

Just imagine being with different types of people for an activity, a seminar, or any formal occasion with no accurate plans at all. And no instructions to follow. Everyone is allowed to do things as they please. If that doesn't sound like total chaos, I don't know what does. So in terms of saving us from that scenario, bet you'd appreciate what a facilitator does to keep things tidy and organized. Otherwise, events would be horribly disorganized.

Facilitators handle the program's plans from concept to execution. They are busy people who keep running from here and there, to ensure that the event operates smoothly, and the participants are having the best times of their life. Facilitators also do a lot of different interaction with suppliers and vendors of the resources needed for the event, requiring them to sometimes travel and perform field visits, as necessary. In short, an event wouldn't be a success if it wasn't for them.

Being a facilitator, like any other job, feels really satisfying. Especially if you love working with different people. Now, if it sounds like you're up for this ride, you might want to start sending out your resume.

  • Average Salary: $44,851
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Training Coordinator

Role:

Training coordinators are responsible for the coordination and execution of training programs for companies and other organizations. Depending on their particular areas of specialization, the training coordinators may concentrate on logistical and preparation activities relating to training. Alternatively, the training coordinator may be directly involved with the execution. A training supervisor is expected to be active in organizing and implementing training in smaller organizations.

Training coordinators are employed by most businesses large enough to require internal training procedures. Work environments vary with the position, with some coordinators employed in a single office and others traveling to remote locations for training. Because of this, you may need to work late or overnight shifts or to work outside. However, you can make up a hefty pay working in this position that can be broken down to $14 per hour.

Many coordinators also need strong data analysis skills, as they are also responsible for interpreting and reporting data on training program performance. You are further expected to be proficient in both educational methods and the content of the training. A bachelor's degree is often preferred for these positions.

  • Average Salary: $46,698
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

States With The Most Program Development Specialist Jobs

Mouse over a state to see the number of active program development specialist jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where program development specialists earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

Average Salary: Job Openings:

Number Of Program Development Specialist Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1Florida4,383$42,881
2Texas3,631$64,982
3California3,374$67,762
4Pennsylvania2,891$66,449
5Georgia2,776$50,872
6New York2,668$66,836
7North Carolina2,372$52,994
8Ohio2,232$51,053
9Illinois2,075$63,724
10Michigan1,936$54,552
11Minnesota1,733$55,885
12Arizona1,410$47,645
13Wisconsin1,394$43,999
14New Jersey1,378$68,282
15Indiana1,367$51,941
16Tennessee1,307$47,327
17Colorado1,261$53,692
18Virginia1,224$59,842
19Missouri1,195$46,537
20Alabama1,081$47,239
21Massachusetts979$56,094
22Washington866$61,149
23South Carolina847$41,026
24Iowa846$44,232
25Maryland839$74,600
26Oregon837$50,275
27Kentucky792$39,119
28Arkansas769$43,648
29Connecticut746$63,054
30Utah698$43,962
31Oklahoma655$43,396
32Kansas654$50,450
33Louisiana648$52,810
34Nebraska597$44,465
35New Mexico565$46,766
36New Hampshire536$58,966
37Nevada485$60,813
38Mississippi474$53,475
39West Virginia408$37,222
40Idaho363$41,596
41Delaware348$61,160
42Hawaii309$52,694
43North Dakota307$47,663
44South Dakota279$49,772
45Rhode Island257$64,535
46Montana253$54,275
47Maine242$61,071
48Alaska225$38,586
49Vermont212$50,256
50Wyoming183$48,474

Program Development Specialist Education

Program Development Specialist Majors

16.8 %

Program Development Specialist Degrees

Bachelors

65.1 %

Masters

23.1 %

Associate

6.5 %

Top Colleges for Program Development Specialists

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

4. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

5. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

6. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

8. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

9. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-State Tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

10. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,399

Enrollment

7,356

Top Skills For a Program Development Specialist

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 19.7% of program development specialists listed hr on their resume, but soft skills such as communication skills and creativity are important as well.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Program Development Specialist Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Program Development Specialist templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Program Development Specialist resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

Program Development Specialist Resume
Program Development Specialist Resume
Program Development Specialist Resume
Program Development Specialist Resume
Program Development Specialist Resume
Program Development Specialist Resume
Program Development Specialist Resume
Program Development Specialist Resume
Program Development Specialist Resume
Program Development Specialist Resume
Program Development Specialist Resume
Program Development Specialist Resume
Program Development Specialist Resume
Program Development Specialist Resume
Program Development Specialist Resume
Program Development Specialist Resume

Program Development Specialist diversity

Program Development Specialist Gender Distribution

Female
Female
71%
Male
Male
29%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among program development specialists, 70.8% of them are women, while 29.2% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among program development specialists is White, which makes up 58.3% of all program development specialists.

  • The most common foreign language among program development specialists is Spanish at 61.5%.

Online Courses For Program Development Specialist That You May Like

Advertising Disclosure  

1. Go Programming (Golang): The Complete Developer's Guide

udemy
4.6
(337)

Master the Go Programming Language (Golang) from an industry expert. Build real world projects that impress employers!...

2. Web Development w/ Googles Go (golang) Programming Language

udemy
4.6
(6,957)

Learn Web Programming from a University Professor in Computer Science with over 20 years of teaching experience...

3. Learning Path: Haskell: Functional Programming and Haskell

udemy
4.2
(627)

Gain expertise of programming in Haskell an advanced, purely functional programming language...

Show More Online Courses For Program Development Specialist
Job type you want
Full Time
Part Time
Internship
Temporary

Best States For a Program Development Specialist

Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a program development specialist. The best states for people in this position are Maryland, New Jersey, California, and New York. Program development specialists make the most in Maryland with an average salary of $74,600. Whereas in New Jersey and California, they would average $68,282 and $67,762, respectively. While program development specialists would only make an average of $66,836 in New York, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.

1. Pennsylvania

Total Program Development Specialist Jobs: 2,891
Highest 10% Earn:
$111,000
Location Quotient:
1.22

2. New Hampshire

Total Program Development Specialist Jobs: 536
Highest 10% Earn:
$95,000
Location Quotient:
1.5

3. Delaware

Total Program Development Specialist Jobs: 348
Highest 10% Earn:
$102,000
Location Quotient:
1.36
Full List Of Best States For Program Development Specialists

How Do Program Development Specialists Rate Their Jobs?

Working as a Program Development Specialist? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall Rating*
Career Growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Top Program Development Specialist Employers

Most Common Employers For Program Development Specialist

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1Bank of America$78,924$37.943
2Heritage Care$64,922$31.219
3Rutgers University$64,423$30.976
4Cal Poly PomonaCollege of Business Administration$63,242$30.403
5Boeing$62,706$30.154
6City of Tacoma$58,019$27.894
7CDA Council$57,118$27.465
8USAID$57,076$27.447
9University of Oklahoma$52,650$25.319
10East Coast Migrant Head Start Project$51,662$24.844