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What is a special programs director and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a special programs director. For example, did you know that they make an average of $30.71 an hour? That's $63,873 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 8% and produce 12,800 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreSpecial Programs DirectorUS Average
Salary
5.0

Avg. Salary $63,873

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.0

Growth rate 8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 6.20%

Black or African American 7.84%

Hispanic or Latino 14.40%

Unknown 5.57%

White 65.82%

Gender

female 58.35%

male 41.65%

Age - 39
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39
Stress level
8.0

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
9.2

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
3.4

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Special programs director career paths

Key steps to become a special programs director

  1. Explore special programs director education requirements

    Most common special programs director degrees

    Bachelor's

    62.4 %

    Master's

    20.6 %

    Associate

    8.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific special programs director skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Program Management19.55%
    Program Development11.84%
    Substance Abuse7.73%
    Program Budget7.25%
    Community Resources7.05%
  3. Complete relevant special programs director training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New special programs directors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a special programs director based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real special programs director resumes.
  4. Research special programs director duties and responsibilities

    • Establish and develop relationships with ERP and consulting vendors with the goal of maximizing comparative advantage and cost efficient solution development.
    • Experience in designing, developing and implementing large-scale networking deployments and LAN/WAN infrastructures with special emphasis on compliance with FDA regulations.
    • Orchestrate all regulatory and accreditation visits and extensive experience in development and writing plans of correction; includes CMS validation survey.
    • Research and interpret regulatory changes to CMS reimbursement models; forecasting the impact and develop strategic plans to optimize financial impact.
  5. Get special programs director experience

    Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become a special programs director. The most common roles before becoming a special programs director include special education teacher, teacher team lead and director.
  6. Prepare your special programs director resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your special programs director resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a special programs director resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable special programs director resume templates

    Build a professional special programs director resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your special programs director resume.
    Special Programs Director Resume
    Special Programs Director Resume
    Special Programs Director Resume
    Special Programs Director Resume
    Special Programs Director Resume
    Special Programs Director Resume
    Special Programs Director Resume
    Special Programs Director Resume
    Special Programs Director Resume
  7. Apply for special programs director jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a special programs director job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first special programs director job

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Average special programs director salary

The average special programs director salary in the United States is $63,873 per year or $31 per hour. Special programs director salaries range between $35,000 and $114,000 per year.

Average special programs director salary
$63,873 Yearly
$30.71 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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