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Senior program specialist/program specialist salary
Average senior program specialist/program specialist salary
$84,195
Average Salary Overview
The average salary for a Senior Program Specialist or Program Specialist is approximately $84,195 per year, translating to about $40 per hour. This figure reflects the demand for skilled professionals in various industries, including healthcare, education, and technology.
State-by-State Salary Breakdown
Different states offer varying salaries for this role. For instance, states like California and New York typically provide higher compensation due to the cost of living. Meanwhile, regions with lower living costs may offer competitive salaries as well.
Job Opportunities and Growth
Job growth for Senior Program Specialists is expected to remain strong, with opportunities emerging in both public and private sectors. These roles often require a blend of project management skills and specialized knowledge in specific industries. By understanding the salary landscape, you can make informed decisions about your career trajectory and potential job opportunities.
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Where can a Senior Program Specialist/Program Specialist earn more?
Average senior program specialist/program specialist salary by state
The highest-paying states for senior program specialists/program specialists are California, New Mexico, and Hawaii. The lowest average senior program specialist/program specialist salary states are Alabama, Utah, and South Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior program specialists/program specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $100,511 | $48.32 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $90,374 | $43.45 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $94,979 | $45.66 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $91,457 | $43.97 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $98,830 | $47.51 |
| 6 | Iowa | $92,678 | $44.56 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $95,098 | $45.72 |
| 8 | Nevada | $95,887 | $46.10 |
| 9 | Idaho | $87,455 | $42.05 |
| 10 | Texas | $91,842 | $44.15 |
| 11 | North Carolina | $92,180 | $44.32 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $88,072 | $42.34 |
| 13 | Hawaii | $98,945 | $47.57 |
| 14 | New York | $88,437 | $42.52 |
| 15 | California | $106,270 | $51.09 |
| 16 | Arizona | $83,302 | $40.05 |
| 17 | Oregon | $86,605 | $41.64 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $87,848 | $42.23 |
| 19 | Delaware | $83,600 | $40.19 |
| 20 | Wyoming | $77,871 | $37.44 |
| 21 | Maine | $82,723 | $39.77 |
| 22 | Arkansas | $78,788 | $37.88 |
| 23 | Massachusetts | $89,060 | $42.82 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $81,023 | $38.95 |
| 25 | Kansas | $82,354 | $39.59 |
| 26 | Washington | $80,911 | $38.90 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $79,704 | $38.32 |
| 28 | Illinois | $82,087 | $39.46 |
| 29 | Vermont | $73,418 | $35.30 |
| 30 | Colorado | $76,184 | $36.63 |
| 31 | Indiana | $78,497 | $37.74 |
| 32 | Ohio | $76,764 | $36.91 |
| 33 | Montana | $72,441 | $34.83 |
| 34 | West Virginia | $70,796 | $34.04 |
| 35 | Florida | $74,881 | $36.00 |
| 36 | Rhode Island | $71,326 | $34.29 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $70,881 | $34.08 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $72,866 | $35.03 |
| 39 | Alaska | $70,604 | $33.94 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $74,329 | $35.74 |
| 41 | Alabama | $68,176 | $32.78 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $73,763 | $35.46 |
| 43 | Utah | $67,478 | $32.44 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $67,239 | $32.33 |
| 45 | Georgia | $70,788 | $34.03 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $69,490 | $33.41 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $68,198 | $32.79 |
| 48 | Maryland | $72,014 | $34.62 |
| 49 | Michigan | $62,560 | $30.08 |
| 50 | Virginia | $66,849 | $32.14 |
| 51 | Missouri | $66,048 | $31.75 |
Highest paying cities for senior program specialists/program specialists
The highest-paying cities for senior program specialists/program specialists are San Mateo, CA, Bridgewater, NJ, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Mateo, CA | $114,942 | $55.26 |
| 2 | Bridgewater, NJ | $98,710 | $47.46 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $95,140 | $45.74 |
| 4 | Raleigh, NC | $93,337 | $44.87 |
| 5 | Des Moines, IA | $92,333 | $44.39 |
| 6 | San Marcos, TX | $92,177 | $44.32 |
| 7 | Waltham, MA | $88,975 | $42.78 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $88,674 | $42.63 |
| 9 | Eugene, OR | $87,099 | $41.87 |
| 10 | Des Plaines, IL | $82,409 | $39.62 |
| 11 | Olympia, WA | $81,887 | $39.37 |
| 12 | Philadelphia, PA | $81,384 | $39.13 |
| 13 | Jonesboro, AR | $78,269 | $37.63 |
| 14 | Englewood, CO | $76,172 | $36.62 |
| 15 | Mason, OH | $75,517 | $36.31 |
| 16 | Miami, FL | $75,160 | $36.13 |
| 17 | Baltimore, MD | $72,201 | $34.71 |
| 18 | Oklahoma City, OK | $68,418 | $32.89 |
| 19 | Salt Lake City, UT | $67,336 | $32.37 |
| 20 | Richmond, VA | $66,786 | $32.11 |
Senior program specialist/program specialist salary details
A senior program specialist/program specialist's salary ranges from $57,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $123,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior program specialist/program specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $123,000 | $10,250 | $59 |
| 75th Percentile | $102,000 | $8,500 | $49 |
| Average | $84,195 | $7,016 | $40 |
| 25th Percentile | $68,000 | $5,667 | $33 |
| 10th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
Highest paying senior program specialist/program specialist jobs
The highest paying types of senior program specialists/program specialists are program manager, senior specialist, and staff specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Manager | $96,084 | $8,007 | $46.19 | 197,556 |
| Program Technician | $42,891 | $3,574 | $20.62 | 83,881 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for senior program specialist/program specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Brian W. Lagotte
Assistant Teaching Professor Director of Undergraduate Studies, University of Kansas
Top companies hiring senior program specialists/program specialists now:
Which companies pay senior program specialists/program specialists the most?
Senior program specialist/program specialist salaries at Uber Technologies and BNY Mellon are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior program specialist/program specialist salary at companies like Qualtrics and Infineon Technologies are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uber Technologies | $134,450 | $64.64 |
| 2 | BNY Mellon | $133,470 | $64.17 |
| 3 | Qualtrics | $129,115 | $62.07 |
| 4 | Infineon Technologies | $128,399 | $61.73 |
| 5 | Southern California Edison | $125,604 | $60.39 |
| 6 | DTCC | $120,689 | $58.02 |
| 7 | Amazon | $119,186 | $57.30 |
| 8 | Abbott | $118,457 | $56.95 |
| 9 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | $115,741 | $55.64 |
| 10 | Novartis | $114,527 | $55.06 |
| 11 | Eli Lilly and Company | $114,452 | $55.02 |
| 12 | RTI International Metals | $114,425 | $55.01 |
| 13 | Citrix | $109,291 | $52.54 |
| 14 | AstraZeneca | $105,680 | $50.81 |
| 15 | MITRE | $101,198 | $48.65 |
| 16 | CalOptima | $98,746 | $47.47 |
| 17 | CompuCom Systems Inc | $98,394 | $47.30 |
| 18 | Humana | $98,029 | $47.13 |
| 19 | Con Edison | $97,727 | $46.98 |
| 20 | HIMSS | $97,289 | $46.77 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior Program Specialist/Program Specialist salary by industry
The average senior program specialist/program specialist salary varies across industries:
- The average senior program specialist/program specialist salary in the pharmaceutical industry is $110,931, the highest of any industry.
- The average senior program specialist/program specialist salary in the finance industry is $99,766.
- Senior program specialists/program specialists in the hospitality industry earn an average salary of $65,814, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for senior program specialists/program specialists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pharmaceutical | $110,931 | $53.33 |
| 2 | Technology | $99,766 | $47.96 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $95,429 | $45.88 |
| 4 | Non Profits | $77,894 | $37.45 |
| 5 | Professional | $74,647 | $35.89 |
| 6 | Government | $68,277 | $32.83 |
| 7 | Hospitality | $65,814 | $31.64 |
High paying senior program specialist/program specialist jobs
Senior program specialist/program specialist salary trends
The average senior program specialist/program specialist salary has risen by $16,904 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior program specialist/program specialist earned $67,291 annually, but today, they earn $84,195 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for senior program specialists/program specialists over the last decade.
Compare senior program specialist/program specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior program specialist/program specialist salary over time
Compare senior program specialist/program specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior program specialist/program specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $84,200 | $40.48 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $82,100 | $39.47 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $79,000 | $37.99 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $77,500 | $37.28 | +4.0% |
| 2021 | $74,500 | $35.81 | +3.1% |
Recently added senior program specialist/program specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exact Sciences | SR Advocacy and Alliances Program Specialist | Madison, WI | 06/30/2025 | $67,000 |
| Smith & Nephew | Senior Clinical Program Specialist | Field, MN | 06/30/2025 | $100,000 |
| Entegris | Senior Specialist, Equity & Executive Programs | Billerica, MA | 06/29/2025 | $95,000 |
| First American Financial | SR. Program Specialist-Talent Management (Remote) | Santa Ana, CA | 06/29/2025 | $82,925 |
| Alliant Credit Union | SR. Complaints Program Specialist | Chicago, IL | 06/27/2025 | $87,100 |
| Lunenburg Public Schools | Extended Day Program Senior & Junior Aide & Substitutes | Lunenburg, MA | 06/26/2025 | $34,039 |
| SST Direct | Senior On-Premise Program Specialist | Sparks, NV | 06/24/2025 | $60,000 |
| Sitio de Experiencia de Candidatos | Flex Senior Program Specialist, Marriott Bonvoy Moments | Bethesda, MD | 06/23/2025 | $50,568 |
| Msccn | Operations Program Specialist Senior | Westminster, CO | 06/22/2025 | $95,106 |
| Entegris, Inc. | Senior Specialist, Equity & Executive Programs | Danbury, CT | 06/20/2025 | $95,000 |
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