Program supervisor vs lead program manager

The differences between program supervisors and lead program managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a lead program manager has an average salary of $119,480, which is higher than the $45,460 average annual salary of a program supervisor.

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

Program supervisor vs lead program manager overview

	Program Supervisor	Lead Program Manager
Yearly salary	$45,460	$119,480
Hourly rate	$21.86	$57.44
Growth rate	8%	6%
Number of jobs	65,551	200,688
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age	40	47
Years of experience	6	-

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.

What does a lead program manager do?

A lead program manager is responsible for coordinating departmental projects and ensuring that the programs adhere to the business guidelines and functions to achieve long-term goals and objectives. Lead program managers strategize techniques in developing business plans and managing budget allocation across departments. They also coordinate with clients for progress updates and modify program plans as needed. A lead program manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills to finalize program outputs and assist the team in resolving project issues and delays.

Program supervisor vs lead program manager salary

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

	Program Supervisor	Lead Program Manager
Average salary	$45,460	$119,480
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $54,000	Between $89,000 And $158,000
Highest paying City	San Jose, CA	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	California	Rhode Island
Best paying company	Sephora	Airbnb
Best paying industry	Government	Technology

Differences between program supervisor and lead program manager education

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

	Program Supervisor	Lead Program Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common major	Psychology	Business
Most common college	SUNY at Binghamton	University of Pennsylvania

Program supervisor vs lead program manager demographics

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

	Program Supervisor	Lead Program Manager
Average age	40	47
Gender ratio	Male, 37.0% Female, 63.0%	Male, 63.7% Female, 36.3%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.1% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	14%	10%

Differences between program supervisor and lead program manager duties and responsibilities

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.

Lead program manager example responsibilities.

Track and manage SE data, team SharePoint site, status reports and worldwide communications including upper management.
Manage implementation of referrals, coordinate assignment of new physicians and create support network for transitioning patients during clinic closure.
Evaluate and report on KPIs to measure program effectiveness and value.
Recognize as financial systems subject matter expert for key elements of the CRM initiative.
Develop a short-term roadmap to the platform eventually being a full on cloud solution.
Work with PMO, business stake holders for matrix reporting, issue/risk identification and mitigation.

Program supervisor vs lead program manager skills

Common program supervisor skills

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

Common lead program manager skills

Project Management, 11%
Program Management, 10%
Portfolio, 6%
Infrastructure, 5%
Lifecycle Management, 4%
Continuous Improvement, 4%

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Program Supervisor vs Lead Program Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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