Program/Project Managers: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of program/project managers 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/project managers 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/project managers 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/project managers.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Program/Project Managers?
Do program/project managers need a degree? What kind of experience do program/project managers 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/project managers to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Program/Project Managers
Jobs Postings for Program/Project Managers By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 205,251 (54%)
- No Education Listed: 99,621 (26%)
- Master's degree: 46,620 (12%)
- High School or GED: 22,056 (6%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 4,610 (1%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of program/project managers. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 54% of positions. In 26% of job listings no education level was listed and in 12% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Program/Project Managers
Jobs Postings for Program/Project Managers By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 14,862 (7%)
- 2-3 Years: 62,166 (27%)
- 4-6 Years: 87,041 (38%)
- 7-9 Years: 29,770 (13%)
- 10+ Years: 33,091 (15%)
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/project managers. In 38% of job postings for Program/Project Managers, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 27% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 10+ years of experience was sought in 15% of job postings for program/project managers.
What Kind of Degree Do Program/Project Managers Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for program/project managers, 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 52 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective program/project managers, and in 2021 a total of 1,202,836 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/project managers.
Top Degree Programs for Program/Project Managers
Top 5 Degree Programs for Program/Project Managers (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 366,667 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 351,860 |
| General Studies. | 129,753 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 55,970 |
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. | 46,381 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 366,667 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 351,860 |
| General Studies. | 129,753 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 55,970 |
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. | 46,381 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other. | 37,634 |
| Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration. | 32,143 |
| Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance. | 22,799 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician. | 19,361 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other. | 14,224 |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications. | 14,182 |
| Environmental Studies. | 9,893 |
| Environmental Science. | 9,231 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General. | 9,051 |
| International Business/Trade/Commerce. | 9,049 |
| Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies. | 8,340 |
| Operations Management and Supervision. | 7,115 |
| Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology. | 6,003 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other. | 4,791 |
| Project Management. | 4,155 |
| Computer/Information Technology Services Administration and Management, Other. | 4,000 |
| Fashion Merchandising. | 3,644 |
| Homeland Security. | 3,012 |
| Sustainability Studies. | 3,005 |
| Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management. | 2,897 |
| Natural Resources/Conservation, General. | 2,821 |
| Crisis/Emergency/Disaster Management. | 2,708 |
| Small Business Administration/Management. | 2,345 |
| Intelligence, General. | 2,261 |
| Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other. | 1,640 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, General. | 1,622 |
| Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism. | 1,569 |
| Taxation. | 1,546 |
| Accounting and Business/Management. | 1,537 |
| Building Construction Technology/Technician. | 1,174 |
| Retail Management. | 1,008 |
| Energy Systems Technology/Technician. | 906 |
| Securities Services Administration/Management. | 849 |
| Accounting and Related Services, Other. | 814 |
| Architectural Technology/Technician. | 768 |
| Environmental Design/Architecture. | 690 |
| Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture. | 535 |
| Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management. | 483 |
| Security and Loss Prevention Services. | 475 |
| Science/Technology Management. | 430 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations, Other. | 387 |
| E-Commerce/Electronic Commerce. | 293 |
| Water, Wetlands, and Marine Resources Management. | 269 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Other. | 242 |
| Solar Energy Technology/Technician. | 173 |
| Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, Other. | 113 |
| Construction Project Management. | 18 |
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What Skills Do Program/Project Managers Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by program/project managers 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/project managers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Program/Project Managers
Based on 324,085 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Program/Project Managers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Project Management | 316,791 | 98% |
| Construction | 54,625 | 17% |
| Project Planning | 46,992 | 14% |
| Project Schedules | 44,353 | 14% |
| Project Scoping | 39,260 | 12% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Program/Project Managers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 183,273 | 57% |
| Management | 160,790 | 50% |
| Leadership | 114,449 | 35% |
| Planning | 104,767 | 32% |
| Coordinating | 78,018 | 24% |
Based on 324,085 job postings related to program/project managers, project management was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 98% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for construction, project planning, project schedules, project scoping and subcontracting were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for program/project managers, followed by management, leadership, planning, coordinating and operations.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Project Management | 316,791 | 98% |
| Construction | 54,625 | 17% |
| Project Planning | 46,992 | 14% |
| Project Schedules | 44,353 | 14% |
| Project Scoping | 39,260 | 12% |
| Subcontracting | 36,962 | 11% |
| Milestones (Project Management) | 36,668 | 11% |
| Microsoft Project | 32,426 | 10% |
| Change Orders | 31,764 | 10% |
| Construction Management | 31,250 | 10% |
| Change Management | 29,798 | 9% |
| Procurement | 29,555 | 9% |
| Agile Methodology | 27,948 | 9% |
| Invoicing | 26,671 | 8% |
| Marketing | 26,197 | 8% |
| Project Implementation | 25,997 | 8% |
| Process Improvement | 25,541 | 8% |
| Finance | 25,462 | 8% |
| Risk Management | 24,490 | 8% |
| Project Documentation | 22,859 | 7% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 183,273 | 57% |
| Management | 160,790 | 50% |
| Leadership | 114,449 | 35% |
| Planning | 104,767 | 32% |
| Coordinating | 78,018 | 24% |
| Operations | 75,226 | 23% |
| Problem Solving | 70,070 | 22% |
| Customer Service | 68,893 | 21% |
| Microsoft Office | 62,163 | 19% |
| Microsoft Excel | 61,171 | 19% |
| Writing | 57,593 | 18% |
| Detail Oriented | 57,514 | 18% |
| Presentations | 52,567 | 16% |
| Scheduling | 49,857 | 15% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 42,100 | 13% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 41,470 | 13% |
| Timelines | 41,453 | 13% |
| Budgeting | 40,641 | 13% |
| Organizational Skills | 40,424 | 12% |
| Sales | 39,732 | 12% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about program/project managers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for program/project managers.
What do program/project managers do?
How much do program/project managers make?
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