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What is a program management consultant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Joel Stevenson,
Meaghan Goodman Ph.D.
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A program management consultant handles the projects of an organization to ensure that they are in line with the stated goals of their organization. They provide quality control for their organization's programs through methods such as handling the budgets, staff, activities and intended final products.

Program management consultants may work with everyone from volunteers to management, so they must be capable of conveying information to people who are not specifically trained in a task. The biggest concern for every program is whether or not it is producing the desired outcome and whether that desired outcome is in line with the motives of the non-profit organization. Monitoring activities, organization, and costs of an event and proceeding to modify them as necessary are key steps.

They also need to be analytical about events and programs, and they need excellent communication and interpersonal skills to communicate problems and potential solutions. Having a bachelor's degree in a management-related field is desirable. The average salary for such a position is $54.05 an hour during a traditional workweek. That amounts to over $112,000 annually. The career is projected to grow further in the coming years.

What general advice would you give to a program management consultant?

Joel StevensonJoel Stevenson LinkedIn profile

Founding Director USC Columbia Technology Incubator, Associate Director Faber Entrepreneurship Center, Senior Lecturer Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management, University of South Carolina

I would not enter the job market at this time. I would apply to the Masters of Human Resources Program at U of SC. If I could not get into the program, I would take an HR job and apply again to the Master's Program. Reason...with a Master's in HR, the starting salary is right at $85,000 per year. Cost and amount of time it takes to get your Master's, $25,000, and 15 months.
ScoreProgram Management ConsultantUS Average
Salary
7.6

Avg. Salary $101,157

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.8

Growth rate 11%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 13.43%

Black or African American 8.15%

Hispanic or Latino 8.96%

Unknown 4.50%

White 64.79%

Gender

female 39.36%

male 60.64%

Age - 43
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 - 43
Stress level
6.8

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
2.2

Work life balance is very poor

6.4 - fair

Program management consultant career paths

Key steps to become a program management consultant

  1. Explore program management consultant education requirements

    Most common program management consultant degrees

    Bachelor's

    67.5 %

    Master's

    20.4 %

    Associate

    6.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific program management consultant skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Service9.18%
    Project Management9.16%
    Management Program7.29%
    Healthcare6.51%
    HR4.81%
  3. Complete relevant program management consultant training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New program management consultants 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 management consultant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real program management consultant resumes.
  4. Research program management consultant duties and responsibilities

    • Manage all aspects of budget, logistics, resources, facilitation, execution, reporting, and documentation.
    • Manage logistics for faculty, support staff and participants including travel, housing, site selection, and equipment needs.
    • Manage group SharePoint site as administrator\designer implementing InfoPath forms, macro designs, and maintenance.
    • Manage multiple software development tracts to successfully deploy business analytics functionality to multiple business owners and end-users at Microsoft.
  5. Prepare your program management consultant resume

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

    Build a professional program management consultant 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 management consultant resume.
    Program Management Consultant Resume
    Program Management Consultant Resume
    Program Management Consultant Resume
    Program Management Consultant Resume
    Program Management Consultant Resume
    Program Management Consultant Resume
    Program Management Consultant Resume
    Program Management Consultant Resume
    Program Management Consultant Resume
  6. Apply for program management consultant jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a program management consultant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first program management consultant job

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Average program management consultant salary

The average program management consultant salary in the United States is $101,157 per year or $49 per hour. Program management consultant salaries range between $74,000 and $137,000 per year.

Average program management consultant salary
$101,157 Yearly
$48.63 hourly

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Program management consultant reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2020
Pros

Project concept, execution - meeting business and Customer expectations.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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