PROGRAM MANAGER SALARY: How Much Do They Make?

Do you want to know what the salary for a program manager is? You’re in the correct place, then! The typical technical program manager pay in the US ranges from $114,032 to $285,559, according to salary tracking websites like Comparably. Many factors, including experience, education, location, and company type, all affect how much they get paid. As managers advance to senior levels, the median income, according to Zippia’s website, exceeds $148,000 yearly. According to the same website, these positions are expected to grow at an 11% annual rate and create 46,000 jobs nationwide. This article provides a comprehensive summary of the pay for a senior technical program manager at Amazon and Google based on data from several salary websites and other significant pay-related factors.
Let’s start now.

Technical Program Manager Salary

Their job description is pretty broad, therefore it makes sense that their pay scale would be as well. They coordinate teams, communicate, submit reports, engage with stakeholders in the product, and set scopes to deliver several technical projects while guiding business strategy.

Most companies offer full-time positions because technical program managers typically have leadership and project management responsibilities. However, given that remote work is increasingly common, a few businesses also provide remote positions for technical program managers.

Let’s examine the average salary for a technical program manager based on data from popular US job portals. These websites disseminate information based on employees’ anonymous salary reports from many types of businesses. As a result, they let you estimate the average base income at the time of writing because the salary of a technical program manager changes depending on the other parameters listed below.

#1. Comparably

Delivers information about pay and other important factors that workers need. The average salary for a technical program manager in the US is therefore $124,446 according to the website. Additionally, it mentions that in addition to their base pay, 50% of technical program managers got bonuses.

To focus your search and obtain a complete picture of the pay for technical program managers, Comparably also enables you to set filters with a variety of factors.

The average income by state, company size, stage, education level, years of experience, gender, and ethnicity are some of these criteria. The greatest city to work as a technical program manager, for instance, earns an average salary of $168,817, which is 36% more than the US median.

#2. ZipRecruiter

Another significant source to find information about technical program manager salaries is ZipRecruiter. It obtains all of its information from several job advertising websites and outside sources.

According to ZipRecruiter data, the median salary for a technical program manager is $134,148. This comes out to be $64 per hour if you break this sum down further.

ZipRecruiter displays the technical program manager salary ranges as histograms. Furthermore, after inputting your location, state, or postcode, it displays these salary ranges with only a single click. It automatically displays the pay statistics of your location by detecting your area in addition to the average wage figures.

#3. Indeed

Indeed needs no introduction. However, it’s a fantastic resource to research the salary of a technical program manager and those for comparable positions. According to Indeed, the average annual salary for a technical program manager in the US is $115,494.

Additionally, Indeed displays the best US firms for a technical program manager along with customer feedback. As a result, picking a company to work for is made easier for both employers and employees.
Benefits and incentives play a significant influence in determining job satisfaction for project management positions like technical program managers. Thus, Indeed also includes them.

#4. Glassdoor

Glassdoor improves workplace openness and offers data on the employee experience based on millions of company ratings and reviews.
Technical program managers in the US are predicted to earn $129,313 in total compensation annually, with an average salary of $111,564. A technical program manager can expect to earn $17,748 annually. Additional pay may take the form of cash bonuses, commissions, tips, and profit sharing.

Senior Program Manager Salary

As of June 22, 2023, the average annual salary for a Senior Program Manager is $114,587. If you need a quick pay estimator, that comes out to be about $55.09 per hour. This amounts to $9,548 each month or $2,203 per week.

While salaries for Senior Program Managers range from $84,400 (25th percentile) to $147,200 (75th percentile), with top earners (90th percentile) making $168,202 yearly, ZipRecruiter reports incomes as high as $185,495 and as low as $24,104.

There may be several prospects for development and greater income based on skill level, location, and years of experience given the wide range of Senior Program Manager typical salary (up to $62,800).

Amazon Technical Program Manager Salary

A Technical Program Manager (TPM) for Amazon may earn more or less money depending on their location, level of experience, and particular job duties. However, according to Glassdoor, the average base salary for a Technical Program Manager at Amazon is around $143,000 per year, with a range of $100,000 to $220,000 per year.

Furthermore, Amazon often provides a full range of benefits, such as stock options, bonuses, and other incentives. Remember that these numbers could fluctuate over time and could differ depending on the situation.

Google Technical Program Manager Salary

The level of expertise, geographic location, and specific job responsibilities are just a few of the factors that can affect the salary of a Google Technical Program Manager (TPM). According to Glassdoor, a Technical Program Manager at Google makes an average base salary of about $155,000 a year, with a range of $105,000 to $220,000.

Furthermore, Google often provides a full range of benefits, such as stock options, bonuses, and other incentives. Remember that these numbers could fluctuate over time and could differ depending on the situation.

Factors Affecting Program Manager Salary

In this field, several factors eventually determine your salary. Consider these elements of the pay equation if you want to maximize your compensation.

#1. Education

Higher levels of education generally result in increased income, just like in many other fields. The average project manager has a bachelor’s degree (68%) and a master’s degree (14%). According to reports, incomes rise when degrees are earned.

Four-year college degree: $102,588
Master’s degree: $114,821
Doctoral degree: $121,387

Higher education may increase your competitiveness in the job market in addition to increasing your earning potential. You can develop the leadership abilities that employers value by obtaining a business-related degree, such as a Master of Business Administration, which will allow you to advance into senior management in the future.

#2. Certification

You can authenticate your abilities and expertise with employers by obtaining a project management certification. This occasionally results in greater compensation. The median income of US professionals was $25,000 higher for those with a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification compared to those without among those questioned by the Project Management Institute.

The PMP is undoubtedly one of them while there are other highly regarded certifications. Additionally, you can become certified in project management approaches like Agile, Scrum, or PRINCE2, or you can obtain a specialty certification like CompTIA Project+ for IT project managers.

#3. Years of experience

In general, you may anticipate making more money the more work experience you have. Fortunately, it doesn’t take long for experience to start paying off financially.

A Project manager in the US can expect to make an average base salary of $74,011 with one to three years of experience, and $95,696 with ten to fourteen years of experience, according to Glassdoor.

#4. Job title

There are numerous positions in this profession. This is an additional way to consider average pay, even though your position may be related to your level of seniority and experience. according to the PMI Salary Survey, these alternative job titles bring in the following median yearly salaries.

Project management specialist: $84,500
Project management consultant: $120,000
Program manager: $127,100
Portfolio manager: $140,000
Director of project management: $145,000

#5. Industry

Your pay may be significantly impacted by the industry you choose to work in. Project managers work in a variety of professions, but these are among the top paying ( according to the PMI Salary Survey and Glassdoor).

Highest-paying industries:

Consulting project manager base salary: $98,716 – $132,500
Resources, energy, utility project manager base salary: $71,771 – $101,254
Pharmaceuticals project manager base salary: $78,925 – $130,000

#6. Location

In many industries, including project management, where you live can impact how much money you make. Project management positions tend to pay the most annually in the Boston, New York City, and San Francisco Bay regions, according to data from the job posting website ZipRecruiter.

It’s critical to consider both location and cost of living while choosing a location. The places with the greatest pay—often major cities—tend to have higher costs of living.

There may be more options for online jobs that let you work from wherever as businesses continue to digitize employee engagement and collaboration—a development driven by the COVID-19 epidemic. Remote program managers are already being hired by organizations including UnitedHealth Group, Amazon, HubSpot, Oracle, and Twilio.

#7. Team and company size

How much money you make annually may also depend on the size of your company and the team you lead. Generally speaking, the median yearly salary for a program manager increases with the size of the team. Teams with fewer than five people reported a median pay of $105,000, while teams with 20 or more reported a median compensation of $130,000, according to PMI.

What Does a Program Manager Do?

Program managers are in charge of ensuring that overall organizational objectives are achieved. They coordinate their efforts without taking direct management of the projects. Instead, they oversee the primary program, paying close attention to its implementation, delegation, and strategy.

What Is the Highest Paid Program Manager?

Research Summary:

The highest-paid type of program manager is a director of program management, with an average salary of $141,289 and an hourly rate of $67.93.
Program managers in the engineering field are the second highest paid with an average income of $122,604.

What Is the Salary Expectation of a Program Manager?

The expected income for a program manager might vary depending on several factors, such as level of experience, industry, size of firm, and location. Typically, program managers are in charge of managing numerous projects inside an organization to make sure they achieve their aims and objectives.

The average pay for a program manager in the United States is roughly $88,000 per year, with a range of $53,000 to $140,000 per year, according to statistics from PayScale. However, depending on the aforementioned conditions, this can vary greatly.

Is Program Manager a High Position?

Yes. A program manager is essentially a high-level project manager with additional accountability for attaining a broad range of corporate goals.

Is Program Manager a Stressful Job?

Yes, given that program managers are in charge of the team’s coordination and performance during a project, the job can frequently be very demanding.

Who Is Higher Than a Program Manager?

Program managers typically report to vice presidents, presidents, and C-suite executives. Depending on how they are organized, some businesses may have extra positions with a higher status than program managers.

What Is the Career Path for a Program Manager?

Many employers require at least a bachelor’s degree in business administration, computer science, communications, or marketing to work as a program manager. A master’s degree in finance, project management, or business development may be required by larger firms.

Why Do Program Managers Get Paid So Much?

The reason for this is typically that program managers have more experience and are in charge of many resources, including numerous software engineers. Client Facing is yet another crucial factor.

Conclusion

As you learned from this article, a senior technical program manager’s income depends on several factors, including the number of years of experience, your educational background, and the company you work for.

So, if you haven’t already created a portfolio, do so right away. To convince the prospective employer that you are self-assured enough to handle the difficult obstacles that a tech program manager must face, you should also brush up on your interviewing skills.

If you’re new to program management, you should enroll in the certified technical product manager course so that you may add evidence of your progress to your portfolio. So, receive the compensation you are due.

References

Coursera
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