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Senior program administrator salary
Average senior program administrator salary
$69,722
Senior Program Administrator Salary Insights
The role of a Senior Program Administrator involves overseeing various programs within an organization, ensuring they align with strategic goals. As of October 2025, the average salary for this position is $69,722 annually. However, salaries can range significantly based on various factors.
In states like California, New York, and Texas, Senior Program Administrators can earn considerably higher due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. For instance, positions in metropolitan areas typically offer better compensation compared to rural locations.
Experience also plays a crucial role in determining salary. Senior Program Administrators with over ten years in the field may earn up to $90,000 or more, especially if they work in high-demand industries such as healthcare or technology.
For those looking to boost their earning potential, pursuing advanced degrees or certifications can enhance qualifications and open doors to higher-paying roles. To find job openings in this area, explore job boards and company websites regularly.
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Where can a Senior Program Administrator earn more?
Senior program administrator salary estimates from across the web
Average senior program administrator salary by state
The average senior program administrator salary in California, Hawaii, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average senior program administrator salary states are Arkansas, South Carolina, and Oklahoma.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior program administrators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $86,591 | $41.63 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $78,061 | $37.53 |
| 3 | New York | $79,293 | $38.12 |
| 4 | Delaware | $75,177 | $36.14 |
| 5 | Nevada | $74,929 | $36.02 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $76,558 | $36.81 |
| 7 | Michigan | $76,056 | $36.57 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $68,521 | $32.94 |
| 9 | Arizona | $68,371 | $32.87 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $80,718 | $38.81 |
| 11 | Oregon | $70,880 | $34.08 |
| 12 | Ohio | $75,161 | $36.14 |
| 13 | Montana | $67,685 | $32.54 |
| 14 | California | $90,308 | $43.42 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $70,682 | $33.98 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $67,478 | $32.44 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $65,159 | $31.33 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $63,926 | $30.73 |
| 19 | Texas | $62,553 | $30.07 |
| 20 | Washington | $65,000 | $31.25 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $60,583 | $29.13 |
| 22 | Massachusetts | $69,748 | $33.53 |
| 23 | Idaho | $60,532 | $29.10 |
| 24 | Virginia | $71,356 | $34.31 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $62,826 | $30.20 |
| 26 | Colorado | $58,303 | $28.03 |
| 27 | Utah | $55,025 | $26.45 |
| 28 | Alaska | $63,840 | $30.69 |
| 29 | Iowa | $60,957 | $29.31 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $54,715 | $26.31 |
| 31 | Maryland | $65,120 | $31.31 |
| 32 | Indiana | $57,237 | $27.52 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $55,267 | $26.57 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $52,104 | $25.05 |
| 35 | Alabama | $50,620 | $24.34 |
| 36 | Florida | $52,174 | $25.08 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $47,265 | $22.72 |
| 38 | Illinois | $52,348 | $25.17 |
| 39 | Maine | $50,760 | $24.40 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $53,303 | $25.63 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $53,020 | $25.49 |
| 42 | Missouri | $52,461 | $25.22 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $49,306 | $23.70 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $49,510 | $23.80 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $48,731 | $23.43 |
| 46 | Kansas | $49,343 | $23.72 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $45,432 | $21.84 |
| 48 | Vermont | $51,088 | $24.56 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $48,342 | $23.24 |
| 50 | Georgia | $46,964 | $22.58 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $47,811 | $22.99 |
Highest paying cities for senior program administrators
The highest-paying cities for senior program administrators are Oxnard, CA, Washington, DC, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oxnard, CA | $90,066 | $43.30 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $80,843 | $38.87 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $79,653 | $38.29 |
| 4 | New Brunswick, NJ | $76,639 | $36.85 |
| 5 | Ann Arbor, MI | $76,048 | $36.56 |
| 6 | New Bedford, MA | $71,656 | $34.45 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $71,077 | $34.17 |
| 8 | Portland, OR | $70,389 | $33.84 |
| 9 | Norwalk, CT | $67,805 | $32.60 |
| 10 | Baltimore, MD | $65,249 | $31.37 |
| 11 | Charlotte, NC | $62,722 | $30.15 |
| 12 | Aurora, CO | $58,161 | $27.96 |
| 13 | Saint Paul, MN | $52,208 | $25.10 |
| 14 | Orlando, FL | $51,424 | $24.72 |
Senior program administrator salary details
A senior program administrator's salary ranges from $44,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $110,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior program administrator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $110,000 | $9,167 | $53 |
| 75th Percentile | $88,000 | $7,333 | $42 |
| Average | $69,722 | $5,810 | $34 |
| 25th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| 10th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
Highest paying senior program administrator jobs
The highest paying types of senior program administrators are lead program manager, associate director, and senior project manager.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product Management Internship | $35,073 | $2,923 | $16.86 | 160,403 |
| Call Center Manager | $37,614 | $3,134 | $18.08 | 123,791 |
| Consultant/Project Manager | $100,754 | $8,396 | $48.44 | 213,963 |
| Project Manager | $91,578 | $7,632 | $44.03 | 167,116 |
| Internship Director | $62,518 | $5,210 | $30.06 | 64,942 |
| Project Director | $107,396 | $8,950 | $51.63 | 116,968 |
Top companies hiring senior program administrators now:
Which companies pay senior program administrators the most?
Senior program administrator salaries at CenterPoint Energy and Rutgers University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior program administrator salary at companies like TriMet and Cubic are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CenterPoint Energy | $91,860 | $44.16 |
| 2 | Rutgers University | $85,158 | $40.94 |
| 3 | TriMet | $84,409 | $40.58 |
| 4 | Cubic | $84,379 | $40.57 |
| 5 | Eversource Energy | $83,718 | $40.25 |
| 6 | University of Massachusetts Medical School | $81,773 | $39.31 |
| 7 | Save the Children US | $81,308 | $39.09 |
| 8 | Kaiser Permanente | $77,219 | $37.12 |
| 9 | Grandbridge Real Estate Capital | $77,117 | $37.08 |
| 10 | World Wildlife Fund | $76,180 | $36.63 |
| 11 | Boston Medical Center | $74,653 | $35.89 |
| 12 | Gilat Satellite Networks | $74,377 | $35.76 |
| 13 | Ventura County Community Foundation | $70,943 | $34.11 |
| 14 | University of Michigan | $69,342 | $33.34 |
| 15 | UnitedHealth Group | $66,194 | $31.82 |
| 16 | Fordham University | $65,773 | $31.62 |
| 17 | Rochester Institute of Technology | $65,631 | $31.55 |
| 18 | University of Rochester | $64,001 | $30.77 |
| 19 | Acacia Network | $55,796 | $26.82 |
| 20 | Orange County High School | $55,581 | $26.72 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior Program Administrator salary by industry
The average senior program administrator salary varies across industries:
- The average senior program administrator salary in the manufacturing industry is $80,691, the highest of any industry.
- The average senior program administrator salary in the finance industry is $71,727.
- Senior program administrators in the education industry earn an average salary of $51,255, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for senior program administrators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $80,691 | $38.79 |
| 2 | Non Profits | $71,727 | $34.48 |
| 3 | Professional | $70,364 | $33.83 |
| 4 | Education | $51,255 | $24.64 |
High paying senior program administrator jobs
Senior program administrator salary trends
The average senior program administrator salary has risen by $8,584 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior program administrator earned $61,138 annually, but today, they earn $69,722 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for senior program administrators over the last decade.
Compare senior program administrator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior program administrator salary over time
Compare senior program administrator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior program administrator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $69,700 | $33.52 | +4.1% |
| 2024 | $66,900 | $32.15 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $66,000 | $31.74 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $64,900 | $31.19 | +0.6% |
| 2021 | $64,500 | $31.00 | +0.1% |
Recently added senior program administrator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ventura County | Sustainability Program Administrator II/III/Senior | Ione, CA | 06/26/2025 | $94,925 |
| State of Minnesota | State Program Administrator Senior | Little Falls, MN | 06/25/2025 | $58,102 |
| County of Ventura (Ca | Sustainability Program Administrator II/III/Senior | Oxnard, CA | 06/25/2025 | $94,925 |
| City of Topeka, Ks | Senior Grants Program Administrator | Topeka, KS | 06/18/2025 | $58,060 |
| Rutgers University | SR. Program Administrator (Recruiting Programs & Employer Engagement) | Piscataway, NJ | 06/18/2025 | $78,020 |
| Chesapeake Bay Trust | Senior Program Administration Officer | Annapolis, MD | 06/17/2025 | $75,000 |
| Dekalb County | Program Coord, Senior Services | Decatur, GA | 06/11/2025 | $46,441 |
| American Heart Association | SR. Program Administrator, Health Care Certification Reviews | Dallas, TX | 06/10/2025 | $115,000 |
| Parsons Corporation | Senior Program Administrator-Rail and Transit | Centreville, VA | 06/04/2025 | $100,900 |
| The University of Chicago | Senior Program Administrator | Chicago, IL | 05/27/2025 | $87,000 |
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