Program manager vs program supervisor

The differences between program managers and program supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a program manager has an average salary of $96,084, which is higher than the $45,460 average annual salary of a program supervisor.

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

Program manager vs program supervisor overview

	Program Manager	Program Supervisor
Yearly salary	$96,084	$45,460
Hourly rate	$46.19	$21.86
Growth rate	12%	8%
Number of jobs	197,556	65,551
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 66%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age	47	40
Years of experience	-	6

What does a program manager do?

A program manager is responsible for monitoring the project's progress, improving and developing new strategies, and coordinate various projects across the organization to ensure the success of the business objective. Program managers also manage the program's expenses, ensuring that the projects adhere to the budget goals without compromising the quality and accuracy of the result. A program manager should regularly connect with the different teams of every project under the program to keep track of the processes and procedures for the timely delivery of the product.

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 manager vs program supervisor salary

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

	Program Manager	Program Supervisor
Average salary	$96,084	$45,460
Salary range	Between $65,000 And $141,000	Between $37,000 And $54,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Meta	Sephora
Best paying industry	Technology	Government

Differences between program manager and program supervisor education

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

	Program Manager	Program Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 66%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Business	Psychology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	SUNY at Binghamton

Program manager vs program supervisor demographics

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

	Program Manager	Program Supervisor
Average age	47	40
Gender ratio	Male, 52.9% Female, 47.1%	Male, 37.0% Female, 63.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	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	10%	14%

Differences between program manager and program supervisor duties and responsibilities

Program manager example responsibilities.

Lead managed services provider engagement of onshore and offshore interactive development and QA for pharmaceutical marketing department.
Lead multiple team workshops and initiate RFP proposals.
Manage the work process across projects as per PMI standards.
Develop, manage, and oversee EMBA study abroad in-residencies to Asia.
Manage content updates for all salesforce marketing materials, print and digital.
Manage the service level expectations with client agencies by monitoring and assessment establish KPIs, agreements and contracts.

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 manager vs program supervisor skills

Common program manager skills

Project Management, 11%
Program Management, 11%
Oversight, 6%
Customer Service, 4%
Infrastructure, 3%
Excellent Organizational, 3%

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 Manager vs Program Supervisor

Updated January 8, 2025

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