Program director vs program supervisor

The differences between program directors and program supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a program director and a program supervisor. Additionally, a program director has an average salary of $80,664, which is higher than the $45,460 average annual salary of a program supervisor.

The top three skills for a program director include oversight, social work and patients. The most important skills for a program supervisor are autism, social work, and developmental disabilities.

Program director vs program supervisor overview

	Program Director	Program Supervisor
Yearly salary	$80,664	$45,460
Hourly rate	$38.78	$21.86
Growth rate	8%	8%
Number of jobs	82,810	65,551
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	6	6

What does a program director do?

Program directors are employees who oversee all aspects of a specific program in the company. They usually work in nonprofit organizations or are assigned to a department doing corporate social responsibility activities. Program directors ensure that the program is in line with the company's goals. They also ensure that the resources assigned to the program are properly managed and that all finances are accounted for. They create strategies to ensure the success of the program and communicate these to everyone involved. They lead the implementation and evaluation of the program.

What does a program supervisor do?

A program supervisor is an individual who coordinates and monitors the scheduling and technical performance of company programs. Program supervisors aid in negotiating contracts and are responsible for any contractual changes. They recommend changes to the plans to improve process efficiency and develop solutions to any program problems. Program supervisors work under a manager's supervision and the role requires a bachelor's degree with relevant job experience. They are also independent at the same time and can collaborate with other staff members.

Program director vs program supervisor salary

Program directors and program supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Program Director	Program Supervisor
Average salary	$80,664	$45,460
Salary range	Between $50,000 And $129,000	Between $37,000 And $54,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	Georgia	California
Best paying company	Mayo Clinic	Sephora
Best paying industry	Technology	Government

Differences between program director and program supervisor education

There are a few differences between a program director and a program supervisor in terms of educational background:

	Program Director	Program Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Business	Psychology
Most common college	Stanford University	SUNY at Binghamton

Program director vs program supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between program directors' and program supervisors' demographics:

	Program Director	Program Supervisor
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 41.4% Female, 58.6%	Male, 37.0% Female, 63.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 6.3% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	14%	14%

Differences between program director and program supervisor duties and responsibilities

Program director example 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.
Implement client ADL, ISP, and behavior plans in a group home.
Organize schedule for swim lessons and kids camp.

Program supervisor example responsibilities.

Conduct daily clinical documentation audits, manage consumer financial accounts, provide oversight and approval for all treatment and discharge planning.
MAP (medication administration), first aid, and CPR certify.
Train staff on CPR first aid.
Maintain state compliance (HIPAA, HUD, DDS, and Medicaid).
Develop curriculum for kids classes and adult classes.
Update and maintain timekeeping system with employee files.

Program director vs program supervisor skills

Common program director skills

Oversight, 9%
Social Work, 6%
Patients, 6%
Customer Service, 5%
Mental Health, 5%
Program Management, 5%

Common program supervisor skills

Autism, 8%
Social Work, 7%
Developmental Disabilities, 7%
Mental Health, 7%
Work Ethic, 7%
Oversight, 6%

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Program Director
Program Director vs Program Supervisor

Updated January 8, 2025

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