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The differences between regional program managers and program directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a regional program manager, becoming a program director takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a program director has an average salary of $80,664, which is higher than the $77,833 average annual salary of a regional program manager.
The top three skills for a regional program manager include program management, project management and infrastructure. The most important skills for a program director are oversight, social work, and patients.
| Regional Program Manager | Program Director | |
| Yearly salary | $77,833 | $80,664 |
| Hourly rate | $37.42 | $38.78 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 136,103 | 82,810 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 46 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 6 |
A regional program manager is responsible for providing targeted technical assistance to employees in a certain region around service delivery, and public engagement, and responsiveness. They oversee the running of an organization's branch or offices in a certain region. Their duties and responsibilities include overseeing the operations of multiple offices, stores, or business branches and guiding, training, and managing lower-level management and supervisors.
Program directors are employees who oversee all aspects of a specific program in the company. They usually work in nonprofit organizations or are assigned to a department doing corporate social responsibility activities. Program directors ensure that the program is in line with the company's goals. They also ensure that the resources assigned to the program are properly managed and that all finances are accounted for. They create strategies to ensure the success of the program and communicate these to everyone involved. They lead the implementation and evaluation of the program.
Regional program managers and program directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Regional Program Manager | Program Director | |
| Average salary | $77,833 | $80,664 |
| Salary range | Between $48,000 And $125,000 | Between $50,000 And $129,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | Georgia |
| Best paying company | Apple | Mayo Clinic |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a regional program manager and a program director in terms of educational background:
| Regional Program Manager | Program Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between regional program managers' and program directors' demographics:
| Regional Program Manager | Program Director | |
| Average age | 46 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 56.4% Female, 43.6% | Male, 41.4% Female, 58.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.1% White, 78.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 14% |