What is a program director and how to become one

Q: Program Director vs. Program Manager

A program director is tasked with the daily running of the company as well as meeting any future goals through proper planning, while the program manager is tasked with overseeing the employees who are completing the required tasks.

Q: How long does it take to become a Program Director?

It takes 6 years of professional experience to become a program director. That is the time it takes to learn specific program director skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 9 to 11 years years to become a program director.

Q: How do you become a program director?

You become a program director by having a bachelor's degree. Some employers may require a master's degree or other advanced credentials in their specific industry. Typical degree programs for program directors include business administration, human resources, or communication.

Q: What are the four major functions of program directors?

The four major functions of a program director are to assess the program's needs, develop the needed program, designate funding for the program, and evaluate the program's effectiveness. These four functions are necessary for the effective fulfillment of the program director role.

Q: What does a non-profit program director do?

A non-profit program director does work in a non-profit environment to ensure that programs run smoothly. Non-profit program directors do everything for-profit program directors do, simply in a non-profit setting.

Q: What is the difference between a program manager and a program director?

The difference between a program manager and a program director is that a program director has a higher-level position with more responsibility. While a program manager typically oversees one program, program directors are responsible for all the programs within the organization.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Tamara Tranter,

Dr. Daryl Green

A program director oversees and manages programs within an organization. They work with various stakeholders to develop and implement program goals, policies, and procedures. Program directors are responsible for ensuring that programs meet budgetary and scheduling requirements and that they comply with relevant regulations and standards. They oversee program staff, including hiring and training, and are responsible for program evaluation they also have a strong background in the field they work in.

What general advice would you give to a program director?

Tamara Tranter

Senior Director, The USA Hockey Foundation

Take risks, go outside of your comfort zone, and don't go into interviews with big expectations. Many qualified people have been impacted and are going to get many of the jobs because they have past experience. So be realistic, be positive, and be a team player.

ScoreProgram DirectorUS Average

Salary

6.3

Avg. Salary $80,664

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.0

Growth rate 8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 6.40%

Black or African American 7.96%

Hispanic or Latino 14.62%

Unknown 5.59%

White 65.25%

Gender

female 58.58%

male 41.42%

Age - 39

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 - 39

Stress level

8.0

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.2

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.4

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a program director?

Pros

Chance to work with a diverse team of professionals
Potential for career growth and advancement
Exposure to cutting-edge technology and practices
Opportunities for networking and collaboration
Flexibility in work schedule and location

Cons

Limited resources and funding constraints
Constant need for adapting to changes in program goals or funding sources
Risk of program failure or negative outcomes despite best efforts
Challenges in balancing competing demands and priorities
Potential for criticism or scrutiny from stakeholders or the public

Key steps to become a program director

Explore program director education requirements

Most common program director degrees

Bachelor's

61.9 %

Master's

21.5 %

Associate

9.7 %

Start to develop specific program director skills

Skills	Percentages
Oversight	8.65%
Social Work	5.74%
Patients	5.54%
Customer Service	5.17%
Mental Health	5.03%

Complete relevant program director training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New program directors 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 director based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real program director resumes.

Gain additional program director certifications

Program director 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 director certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for program directors include Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).

More About Certifications

Research program director duties and responsibilities

Manage personnel performing SAS programming, technical document preparation and quality assurance.
Manage program budgets and supervise staff to ensure that immunization and registry activities are successfully implement.
Manage direct support professionals serving adult populations for persons with mental health, developmental disabilities and children with autism.
Manage day-to-day oversight and management involving planning, programming, execution, distribution, and analysis for assign organizations budgets.

Get program director experience

Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become a program director. The most common roles before becoming a program director include internship, program manager team lead and program coordinator.

Prepare your program director resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your program director 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 director 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 director resume templates

Build a professional program director 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 director resume.