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The differences between senior program specialists/program specialists and senior program associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a senior program specialist/program specialist, becoming a senior program associate takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior program specialist/program specialist has an average salary of $84,195, which is higher than the $56,190 average annual salary of a senior program associate.
The top three skills for a senior program specialist/program specialist include project management, process improvement and powerpoint. The most important skills for a senior program associate are phone calls, program management, and powerpoint.
| Senior Program Specialist/Program Specialist | Senior Program Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $84,195 | $56,190 |
| Hourly rate | $40.48 | $27.01 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 95,580 | 65,343 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 43 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
A senior program specialist must have multi-dimensional skills to handle programs. They work under the supervision of a program leader, associate director, or senior program director. They conduct critical research, manage contracts, and identify possible partners. They also give training to junior specialists in their company.
A senior program associate performs a variety of tasks for an organization, including conducting clinical documentation audits, overseeing and approving all treatment and discharge plans, and implementing process improvements. As a senior program associate, you will be responsible for assisting units in developing proposals and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders in producing materials such as reports and brochures. In addition, you will also be responsible for preparing and submitting reports on time and working closely with the finance department in developing needed financials.
Senior program specialists/program specialists and senior program associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Program Specialist/Program Specialist | Senior Program Associate | |
| Average salary | $84,195 | $56,190 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $123,000 | Between $37,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Mateo, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Uber Technologies | |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Finance |
There are a few differences between a senior program specialist/program specialist and a senior program associate in terms of educational background:
| Senior Program Specialist/Program Specialist | Senior Program Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between senior program specialists/program specialists' and senior program associates' demographics:
| Senior Program Specialist/Program Specialist | Senior Program Associate | |
| Average age | 43 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.7% Female, 62.3% | Male, 30.3% Female, 69.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 15.0% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 7.1% White, 50.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2% | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 6.3% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 14% |