Program Officers: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of program officers about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for program officers to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of program officers expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for program officers.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Program Officers?
Do program officers need a degree? What kind of experience do program officers typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for program officers to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Program Officers
Jobs Postings for Program Officers By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 134,784 (47%)
- Master's degree: 60,571 (21%)
- No Education Listed: 49,472 (17%)
- High School or GED: 24,963 (9%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 16,300 (6%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of program officers. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 47% of positions. In 21% of job listings a master's degree was required and in 17% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Program Officers
Jobs Postings for Program Officers By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 17,886 (12%)
- 2-3 Years: 50,252 (34%)
- 4-6 Years: 44,197 (30%)
- 7-9 Years: 16,859 (11%)
- 10+ Years: 19,399 (13%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for program officers. In 34% of job postings for Program Officers, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 30% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience, while 10+ years of experience was sought in 13% of job postings for program officers.
What Kind of Degree Do Program Officers Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for program officers, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 164 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective program officers, and in 2023 a total of 1,756,147 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective program officers.
Top Degree Programs for Program Officers
Top 5 Degree Programs for Program Officers (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 335,156 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 333,999 |
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| General Studies. | 123,192 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 57,116 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 335,156 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 333,999 |
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| General Studies. | 123,192 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 57,116 |
| Finance, General. | 50,779 |
| Political Science and Government, General. | 44,606 |
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. | 43,663 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other. | 34,318 |
| Sociology, General. | 33,034 |
| History, General. | 29,780 |
| Health/Health Care Administration/Management. | 29,623 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. | 29,564 |
| Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration. | 27,457 |
| Public Health, General. | 25,431 |
| Econometrics and Quantitative Economics. | 22,925 |
| Economics, General. | 21,664 |
| Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General. | 16,602 |
| Social Sciences, General. | 15,927 |
| Public Administration. | 15,683 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology, Other. | 13,458 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other. | 13,002 |
| International Relations and Affairs. | 12,742 |
| Counseling Psychology. | 10,826 |
| Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia. | 10,759 |
| Criminology. | 10,562 |
| Environmental Studies. | 10,429 |
| Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management. | 10,419 |
| Anthropology, General. | 10,252 |
| Environmental Science. | 9,888 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General. | 9,274 |
| Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies. | 9,123 |
| Philosophy. | 8,658 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management, General. | 8,566 |
| International Business/Trade/Commerce. | 7,469 |
| Engineering/Industrial Management. | 7,035 |
| Applied Behavior Analysis. | 6,780 |
| International/Globalization Studies. | 6,447 |
| Library and Information Science. | 5,897 |
| Operations Management and Supervision. | 5,855 |
| Clinical Psychology. | 5,626 |
| Financial Planning and Services. | 5,054 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other. | 4,872 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Manufacturing Engineering Technology/Technician. | 4,577 |
| Sustainability Studies. | 4,382 |
| Experimental Psychology. | 4,342 |
| Project Management. | 4,299 |
| Geography. | 3,732 |
| Geographic Information Science and Cartography. | 3,581 |
| School Psychology. | 3,573 |
| Public Health, Other. | 3,119 |
| Natural Resources/Conservation, General. | 3,026 |
| Cognitive Science, General. | 2,955 |
| Small Business Administration/Management. | 2,948 |
| Homeland Security. | 2,894 |
| Psychology, Other. | 2,803 |
| Occupational Safety and Health Technology/Technician. | 2,730 |
| Industrial and Organizational Psychology. | 2,670 |
| Information Technology Project Management. | 2,608 |
| Crisis/Emergency/Disaster Management. | 2,589 |
| Construction Trades, General. | 2,589 |
| Applied Psychology. | 2,536 |
| Forensic Psychology. | 2,506 |
| Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management. | 2,481 |
| Intelligence, General. | 2,413 |
| Educational Psychology. | 2,114 |
| Social Sciences, Other. | 2,040 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services, Other. | 1,994 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections, General. | 1,987 |
| Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism. | 1,935 |
| Human Resources Development. | 1,731 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, General. | 1,679 |
| Research Methodology and Quantitative Methods. | 1,496 |
| Fire Services Administration. | 1,431 |
| Behavioral Neuroscience. | 1,427 |
| Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other. | 1,386 |
| Urban Studies/Affairs. | 1,301 |
| Accounting and Business/Management. | 1,214 |
| Purchasing, Procurement/Acquisitions and Contracts Management. | 1,102 |
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution. | 1,067 |
| Political Science and Government, Other. | 1,054 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, General. | 1,026 |
| Fine and Studio Arts Management. | 989 |
| Tourism and Travel Services Management. | 823 |
| Accounting and Related Services, Other. | 795 |
| Bioethics/Medical Ethics. | 723 |
| National Security Policy Studies. | 721 |
| Cybersecurity Defense Strategy/Policy. | 702 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies, Other. | 616 |
| Critical Infrastructure Protection. | 588 |
| Sociology and Anthropology. | 552 |
| Community Psychology. | 542 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management, Other. | 542 |
| History, Other. | 535 |
| Social Psychology. | 531 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, Other. | 488 |
| Development Economics and International Development. | 480 |
| Applied Economics. | 460 |
| International Economics. | 390 |
| Investments and Securities. | 374 |
| American Government and Politics (United States). | 353 |
| Archeology. | 339 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations, Other. | 335 |
| Clinical Research Coordinator. | 328 |
| Science/Technology Management. | 321 |
| Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics. | 316 |
| Political Economy. | 309 |
| Public/Applied History. | 302 |
| Archives/Archival Administration. | 294 |
| Research and Development Management. | 287 |
| Medical Anthropology. | 276 |
| Economics, Other. | 268 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Other. | 247 |
| Industrial Safety Technology/Technician. | 233 |
| Construction Trades, Other. | 232 |
| Theatre/Theatre Arts Management. | 222 |
| History and Philosophy of Science and Technology. | 222 |
| Geography, Other. | 212 |
| Military History. | 201 |
| Terrorism and Counterterrorism Operations. | 186 |
| Philosophy and Religious Studies, General. | 181 |
| Applied and Professional Ethics. | 173 |
| Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. | 153 |
| Anthropology, Other. | 140 |
| American History (United States). | 133 |
| Library Science, Other. | 131 |
| Clinical Child Psychology. | 126 |
| Hazardous Materials Management and Waste Technology/Technician. | 121 |
| Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, Other. | 110 |
| Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology. | 105 |
| Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians, Other. | 100 |
| Applied/Public Sociology. | 96 |
| Economics and Computer Science. | 89 |
| Cultural Anthropology. | 84 |
| Social Entrepreneurship. | 84 |
| Demography and Population Studies. | 70 |
| History and Political Science. | 68 |
| Physical and Biological Anthropology. | 65 |
| Forensic Anthropology. | 60 |
| Facilities Planning and Management. | 58 |
| Telecommunications Management. | 58 |
| Religious Institution Administration and Management. | 56 |
| Digital Humanities. | 50 |
| Public Administration, Other. | 47 |
| Rural Sociology. | 34 |
| Environmental Chemistry. | 23 |
| Personality Psychology. | 21 |
| Franchising and Franchise Operations. | 21 |
| Comparative Psychology. | 16 |
| Public Works Management. | 16 |
| Economics and Foreign Language/Literature. | 12 |
| Environmental Psychology. | 8 |
| Applied Demography. | 6 |
| European History. | 4 |
| Textual Studies. | 2 |
| Linguistics and Anthropology. | 1 |
| Digital Humanities and Textual Studies, General. | 1 |
| Geoarcheaology. | 1 |
| History and Language/Literature. | 1 |
| Survey Research/Methodology. | 1 |
| Asian History. | 1 |
| Law Enforcement Record-Keeping and Evidence Management. | 0 |
| Hazardous Materials Information Systems Technology/Technician. | 0 |
What Skills Do Program Officers Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by program officers to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for program officers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Program Officers
Based on 219,632 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Program Officers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Project Management | 50,168 | 23% |
| Auditing | 29,456 | 13% |
| Marketing | 25,543 | 12% |
| Finance | 17,442 | 8% |
| Social Work | 17,180 | 8% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Program Officers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 112,913 | 51% |
| Management | 100,889 | 46% |
| Leadership | 83,194 | 38% |
| Program Management | 68,970 | 31% |
| Operations | 67,124 | 31% |
Based on 219,632 job postings related to program officers, project management was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 23% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for auditing, marketing, finance, social work and process improvement were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for program officers, followed by management, leadership, program management, operations and planning.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Project Management | 50,168 | 23% |
| Auditing | 29,456 | 13% |
| Marketing | 25,543 | 12% |
| Finance | 17,442 | 8% |
| Social Work | 17,180 | 8% |
| Process Improvement | 14,309 | 7% |
| Data Analysis | 13,523 | 6% |
| Risk Management | 13,255 | 6% |
| Regulatory Compliance | 13,240 | 6% |
| Continuous Improvement Process | 12,280 | 6% |
| Accounting | 11,681 | 5% |
| Human Services | 11,128 | 5% |
| Program Development | 11,037 | 5% |
| New Product Development | 10,757 | 5% |
| Psychology | 9,701 | 4% |
| Milestones (Project Management) | 9,678 | 4% |
| Regulatory Affairs | 9,601 | 4% |
| Data Collection | 9,470 | 4% |
| Workflow Management | 9,395 | 4% |
| Agile Methodology | 9,337 | 4% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 112,913 | 51% |
| Management | 100,889 | 46% |
| Leadership | 83,194 | 38% |
| Program Management | 68,970 | 31% |
| Operations | 67,124 | 31% |
| Planning | 62,624 | 29% |
| Coordinating | 55,466 | 25% |
| Writing | 47,996 | 22% |
| Problem Solving | 40,544 | 18% |
| Research | 36,973 | 17% |
| Detail Oriented | 35,972 | 16% |
| Customer Service | 35,705 | 16% |
| Presentations | 32,752 | 15% |
| Microsoft Office | 31,634 | 14% |
| Microsoft Excel | 31,042 | 14% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 28,917 | 13% |
| Organizational Skills | 25,848 | 12% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 24,143 | 11% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 22,457 | 10% |
| Innovation | 21,341 | 10% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about program officers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for program officers.
What do program officers do?
How much do program officers make?
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