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The differences between project management specialists and program management consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a project management specialist and a program management consultant. Additionally, a program management consultant has an average salary of $101,157, which is higher than the $81,204 average annual salary of a project management specialist.
The top three skills for a project management specialist include PMP, powerpoint and status reports. The most important skills for a program management consultant are customer service, project management, and management program.
| Project Management Specialist | Program Management Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $81,204 | $101,157 |
| Hourly rate | $39.04 | $48.63 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 145,872 | 177,578 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A project management specialist is an individual who manages an entire project and serves as a point of contact for a client or customer. Project management specialists must provide detailed cost analysis and timetable reports to keep projects on schedule and budget. They must ask for frequent updates from all staff assigned so that they can identify potential problems that may keep projects from being completed on time. Project management specialists must also prepare progress reports of projects and create presentations for senior management.
A program management consultant is responsible for analyzing project requirements based on clients' specifications, developing quality improvement techniques, and reviewing project deliverables. Program management consultants work closely with the project team to identify project initiatives and resolve complexities that may arise. They also inspect the resources and materials to be utilized during the project and determine cost-reduction processes without compromising quality and efficiency. A program management consultant coordinates with the clients for progress updates and informs them of any plan adjustments as needed.
Project management specialists and program management consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Management Specialist | Program Management Consultant | |
| Average salary | $81,204 | $101,157 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $112,000 | Between $74,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bridgewater, NJ | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Enbridge | eBay |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a project management specialist and a program management consultant in terms of educational background:
| Project Management Specialist | Program Management Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between project management specialists' and program management consultants' demographics:
| Project Management Specialist | Program Management Consultant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.4% Female, 47.6% | Male, 60.6% Female, 39.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 11.8% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 13.4% White, 64.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |