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The differences between program support specialists and programming specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a program support specialist, becoming a programming specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a programming specialist has an average salary of $55,521, which is higher than the $39,327 average annual salary of a program support specialist.
The top three skills for a program support specialist include program support, veterans and powerpoint. The most important skills for a programming specialist are social work, customer service, and veterans.
| Program Support Specialist | Programming Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $39,327 | $55,521 |
| Hourly rate | $18.91 | $26.69 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 169,855 | 39,636 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A program support specialist is responsible for monitoring the overall program aspects of an organization from the conceptualization to the final execution. Program support specialists negotiate contracts and transactions with the suppliers and vendors for resources that meet the funding and budget limitations. They process documents and assist the program staff in coordinating with other organizations for program plans and potential sponsorships. A program support specialist must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in handling the program objectives and ensure client satisfaction.
A programming specialist is responsible for the overall planning and supervising of programs, mostly in a non-profit organization. It is a programming specialist's job to allocate and manage the budget, hire staff, train volunteers, and ensure that goals are met. It is also their duty to devise strategies and come up with materials that would raise awareness for the program and its cause. Furthermore, a programming specialist is in charge of reaching out to people who will be a valuable asset for the program, such as speakers and educators.
Program support specialists and programming specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Program Support Specialist | Programming Specialist | |
| Average salary | $39,327 | $55,521 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $58,000 | Between $35,000 And $86,000 |
| Highest paying City | Urban Honolulu, HI | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Los Alamos National Laboratory | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Government | Technology |
There are a few differences between a program support specialist and a programming specialist in terms of educational background:
| Program Support Specialist | Programming Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between program support specialists' and programming specialists' demographics:
| Program Support Specialist | Programming Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.7% Female, 75.3% | Male, 30.7% Female, 69.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 10.5% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 5.9% White, 58.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 12% |