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The differences between senior program analysts and senior associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a senior program analyst, becoming a senior associate takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a senior program analyst has an average salary of $93,415, which is higher than the $83,034 average annual salary of a senior associate.
The top three skills for a senior program analyst include project management, DOD and logistics. The most important skills for a senior associate are project management, business development, and powerpoint.
| Senior Program Analyst | Senior Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $93,415 | $83,034 |
| Hourly rate | $44.91 | $39.92 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 132,578 | 54,601 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A senior program analyst specializes in developing and recommending strategies to optimize the operations of different programs in a company. They coordinate with various departments to collect and analyze data, identify the strengths and weaknesses of existing programs, perform extensive research and analysis, conduct risk assessments, determine the trends, and address issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently. Moreover, as a senior program analyst, it is essential to lead and serve as a mentor to junior analysts, all while promoting the company's policies and regulations.
The Responsibilities of a Senior Associate will depend on the line of organization or industry. Most of the time, the duties will revolve around conducting various testing and assessments, planning and analysis, developing innovative solutions to boost company productivity, and keeping an organized flow of documentation. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of a Senior to Associate to lead a team of skilled professionals and shape them with extensive knowledge while adhering to its policies and regulations.
Senior program analysts and senior associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Program Analyst | Senior Associate | |
| Average salary | $93,415 | $83,034 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $126,000 | Between $56,000 And $121,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Varian Medical Systems | Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Finance |
There are a few differences between a senior program analyst and a senior associate in terms of educational background:
| Senior Program Analyst | Senior Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between senior program analysts' and senior associates' demographics:
| Senior Program Analyst | Senior Associate | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.8% Female, 46.2% | Male, 55.6% Female, 44.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 58.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 6.2% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 12% |