How to hire a program support assistant

How to hire a program support assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step program support assistant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a program support assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new program support assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a program support assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a program support assistant, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect program support assistant also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of program support assistants.

   Type of Program Support Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Program Support Assistant	Social and human service assistants provide client services, including support for families, in a wide variety of fields, such as psychology, rehabilitation, and social work. They assist other workers, such as social workers, and they help clients find benefits or community services.	$14-25
   Support Clerk	A support clerk is primarily in charge of performing administrative support tasks in an office, making the daily workflow easier. Their responsibilities typically include preparing and processing documentation, answering and forwarding calls, handling correspondence, disseminating and organizing files, and running errands as needed... Show more	$10-25
   Support	A support employee is responsible for assisting the business operations and responding to customers' inquiries and concerns regarding its goods and services. Support logs all customers' interaction and escalates potential complaints to the appropriate department... Show more	$11-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Veterans
   • Program Support
   • Customer Service
   • Rehabilitation
   • Provides Administrative Support
   • Data Entry
   • Patient Care
   • Developmental Disabilities
   • Direct Support
   • Social Work
   • Phone Calls
   • Data Collection
   • PowerPoint

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Create reports, graphs, and PowerPoint presentations for special projects.
   • Design and implement new web pages for all libraries in the district using HTML.
   • Perform student information management application updates and maintain SharePoint log.
   • Ensure all timekeeping data are accurate and produce routine timekeeping reports as requested.
   • Establish and maintain a computerize tracking system on SharePoint for all congressional correspondence.
   • Assist with eligibility and enrollment of new veterans; produce primary care assignments and arrange initial medical appointments.

   More program support assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the program support assistant job description is a good way to get more applicants. A program support assistant salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a program support assistant in West Virginia may be lower than in Connecticut, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level program support assistant. Additionally, a program support assistant with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average program support assistant salary

   $41,107yearly

   $19.76 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level program support assistant salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average program support assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$62,397	$30
   2	Maryland	$51,897	$25
   3	Massachusetts	$49,611	$24
   4	New York	$49,436	$24
   5	Pennsylvania	$47,506	$23
   6	California	$43,517	$21
   7	Virginia	$43,334	$21
   8	North Carolina	$43,194	$21
   9	Ohio	$42,723	$21
   10	Illinois	$42,677	$21
   11	Florida	$42,587	$20
   12	South Carolina	$41,629	$20
   13	Texas	$41,580	$20
   14	Arkansas	$41,576	$20
   15	Colorado	$41,155	$20
   16	Nevada	$41,109	$20
   17	Minnesota	$40,983	$20
   18	Michigan	$40,908	$20
   19	Oregon	$40,837	$20
   20	Kansas	$40,640	$20

   Average program support assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	New York State Restaurant Association	$51,421	$24.72
   2	YES Prep Public Schools	$47,839	$23.00	2
   3	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	$47,397	$22.79	4
   4	iHeartMedia	$46,177	$22.20	25
   5	Planned Systems International	$45,886	$22.06	3
   6	Chicago Public Schools	$45,385	$21.82	12
   7	ICF	$44,906	$21.59	19
   8	Department of Homeland Security	$44,900	$21.59	66
   9	Software Consultant	$44,818	$21.55
   10	ITA Group	$44,770	$21.52	6
   11	Jamestown Community College	$44,549	$21.42
   12	University at Buffalo	$44,220	$21.26	35
   13	Deschutes County	$43,879	$21.10	2
   14	HealthTrust	$43,031	$20.69	1
   15	Tetra Tech	$42,610	$20.49	23
   16	Pacific Architects and Engineers	$41,856	$20.12
   17	Indian Health Service	$41,475	$19.94	11
   18	Boston College	$41,316	$19.86	1
   19	Dodea	$41,286	$19.85
   20	United States Army Corps of Engineers	$41,270	$19.84

4. Writing a program support assistant job description

   A program support assistant job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a program support assistant job description:

   Program support assistant job description example

   Information on MIT's COVID-19 vaccination requirement can be found at the bottom of this posting.
   
   FELLOWSHIP SUPPORT AND PROGRAM ASSISTANT , Office of Graduate Education (OGE) , to execute support for fellowship administration and programming for a highly decentralized graduate campus. Will provide high-level organizational and administrative support--under the supervision of the director of graduate fellowships (DGF)--for the 1000+ fellowships administered by the OGE; serve as a resource for the entire graduate student population; and work closely with department graduate and financial administrators and stakeholder offices (e.g., Office of Sponsored Programs, Resource Development, Global Initiatives, General Counsel) in fellowship creation and administration. The primary responsibilities for fellowship administration will include creating, organizing, and distributing fellowship rosters; assisting with the fulfillment of fellowship reporting requirements; purchasing and tracking fellowship allowance budgets; assisting the DGF with stewardship for donors and invested partners; and fellowship newsletter creation and maintenance. Fellowship programming responsibilities include organizing and executing various fellowship-related programs/events (e.g., receptions, networking events, guest speakers, poster sessions, and activities supporting new applicants); handling financial duties; and managing vendor agreements and payments.
   
   Job Requirements
   
   REQUIRED : high school diploma or its equivalent; at least three years administrative, office, or related experience; experience working with students in a higher education setting; an accounting/financial background; attention to detail; discretion and excellent judgment with confidential and personal information; ability to work both independently and as a team member; initiative; proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; excellent verbal and written communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills; ability to set priorities and manage multiple demands in a busy office; and ability to work creatively with institutional policies and apply sound judgment in dealing with administrative issues. PREFERRED : experience in fellowship and grant administration and MIT work experience. Job #21506-5
   
   Hourly rate: $22.00-29.00
   
   This is a full-time, 35 hour/week position.
   
   This position is hybrid, with a blend of remote and on-campus work.
   
   6/30/22
   
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   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find program support assistants for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any program support assistants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level program support assistants with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your program support assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit program support assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with program support assistant candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new program support assistant

   Once you've found the program support assistant candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a program support assistant?