Program supervisor vs unit supervisor

The differences between program supervisors and unit 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 supervisor and a unit supervisor. Additionally, a unit supervisor has an average salary of $48,749, 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 unit supervisor are patients, corrective action, and social work.

Program supervisor vs unit supervisor overview

	Program Supervisor	Unit Supervisor
Yearly salary	$45,460	$48,749
Hourly rate	$21.86	$23.44
Growth rate	8%	6%
Number of jobs	65,551	37,120
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age	40	47
Years of experience	6	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 unit supervisor do?

A unit supervisor oversees and supervises employees, ensuring that work operations adhere to standards, guidelines, timelines, and budget. Although the extent of their responsibilities depends on their industry or company of employment, they are typically in charge of conducting regular inspections and assessments, setting objectives and guidelines, delegating responsibilities among staff, and producing progress reports, submitting them to higher-ranking managers. Moreover, aside from leading teams to reach goals, a unit supervisor also trains new members of the workforce, provides technical support to staff, and resolves issues and concerns to maintain smooth operations.

Program supervisor vs unit supervisor salary

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

	Program Supervisor	Unit Supervisor
Average salary	$45,460	$48,749
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $54,000	Between $30,000 And $78,000
Highest paying City	San Jose, CA	Olympia, WA
Highest paying state	California	Washington
Best paying company	Sephora	Berkshire Hathaway
Best paying industry	Government	Hospitality

Differences between program supervisor and unit supervisor education

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

	Program Supervisor	Unit Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Psychology	Business
Most common college	SUNY at Binghamton	California State University - Bakersfield

Program supervisor vs unit supervisor demographics

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

	Program Supervisor	Unit Supervisor
Average age	40	47
Gender ratio	Male, 37.0% Female, 63.0%	Male, 51.6% Female, 48.4%
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, 10.7% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 5.7% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	14%	8%

Differences between program supervisor and unit supervisor 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.

Unit supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage direct support professionals serving adult populations for persons with mental health, developmental disabilities and children with autism.
Document patient information and recording information correctly, as well as ensuring other workers are following OSHA and HIPAA requirements.
Attend weekly QA collaboration meetings and actively participate in discussions.
Utilize Kaizen activities to drive continuous process and quality improvements.
Submit MDS assessments to CMS timely and organize documentation for timely filing.
Evaluate admissions for Medicare/ Medicaid eligibility; prepare MDS and PPS documentation.

Program supervisor vs unit supervisor skills

Common program supervisor skills

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

Common unit supervisor skills

Patients, 11%
Corrective Action, 10%
Social Work, 8%
Oversight, 7%
Conflict Resolution, 6%
Direct Supervision, 6%

Program Supervisor vs. similar jobs

Program Supervisor related careers

Program Supervisor related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Industry
Program Supervisor
Program Supervisor vs Unit Supervisor

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse arts, entertainment, sports, and media jobs