Program Directors: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of program directors 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 directors 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 directors 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 directors.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Program Directors?
Do program directors need a degree? What kind of experience do program directors 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 directors to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Program Directors
Jobs Postings for Program Directors By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 24,638 (39%)
- No Education Listed: 16,731 (26%)
- Master's degree: 12,112 (19%)
- High School or GED: 8,424 (13%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 1,741 (3%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of program directors. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 39% of positions. In 26% of job listings no education level was listed and in 19% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Program Directors
Jobs Postings for Program Directors By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 6,282 (20%)
- 2-3 Years: 13,760 (44%)
- 4-6 Years: 7,919 (26%)
- 7-9 Years: 1,694 (5%)
- 10+ Years: 1,349 (4%)
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 directors. In 44% of job postings for Program Directors, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 26% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 20% of job postings for program directors.
What Kind of Degree Do Program Directors Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for program directors, 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 28 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective program directors, and in 2023 a total of 267,040 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 directors.
Top Degree Programs for Program Directors
Top 5 Degree Programs for Program Directors (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 57,116 |
| Political Science and Government, General. | 44,606 |
| Sociology, General. | 33,034 |
| Public Administration. | 15,683 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 57,116 |
| Political Science and Government, General. | 44,606 |
| Sociology, General. | 33,034 |
| Public Administration. | 15,683 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General. | 12,748 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Human Development and Family Studies, General. | 8,321 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other. | 4,872 |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs, Other. | 3,822 |
| Child Care and Support Services Management. | 3,627 |
| Community Organization and Advocacy. | 2,557 |
| Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management. | 2,481 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General. | 2,454 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, Other. | 1,147 |
| Family and Community Services. | 1,107 |
| Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies. | 584 |
| Social Work, Other. | 581 |
| Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other. | 545 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services, Other. | 540 |
| Family Systems. | 432 |
| Business Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences. | 429 |
| Youth Services/Administration. | 332 |
| Adult Development and Aging. | 265 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, Other. | 142 |
| Work and Family Studies. | 10 |
| Thanatology. | 8 |
| Forensic Social Work. | 6 |
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Degree Options for Program Directors
Learn the real-world management skills needed to be a leader in government and nonprofit organizations.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Identify opportunities to improve the quality of life for people with a customizable major intended to help you achieve your career goals.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Class Type: 100% online
- Years To Complete: 3
Earn your master's degree online and earn real-world skills to advance your career within public service.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Earn a 14-month online Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with a Specialization in Healthcare and gain interdisciplinary communication and decision-making skills alongside specialized knowledge on healthcare policies, operations and analytics.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Earn your Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with a Specialization in Human Resources and build the leadership skills to advance a government or public service agency alongside an emphasis on strategic HR best practices.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Skills Do Program Directors Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by program directors 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 directors, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Program Directors
Based on 53,432 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Program Directors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work | 13,904 | 26% |
| Human Services | 6,428 | 12% |
| Marketing | 6,302 | 12% |
| Psychology | 5,324 | 10% |
| Case Management | 5,316 | 10% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Program Directors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 21,595 | 40% |
| Management | 17,257 | 32% |
| Leadership | 16,624 | 31% |
| Planning | 11,403 | 21% |
| Operations | 11,154 | 21% |
Based on 53,432 job postings related to program directors, social work was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 26% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for human services, marketing, psychology, case management and mental health were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for program directors, followed by management, leadership, planning, operations and customer service.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work | 13,904 | 26% |
| Human Services | 6,428 | 12% |
| Marketing | 6,302 | 12% |
| Psychology | 5,324 | 10% |
| Case Management | 5,316 | 10% |
| Mental Health | 4,517 | 8% |
| Project Management | 4,412 | 8% |
| Auditing | 2,737 | 5% |
| Community Outreach | 2,600 | 5% |
| Disabilities | 2,434 | 5% |
| Finance | 2,384 | 4% |
| Fundraising | 2,383 | 4% |
| Discharge Planning | 2,360 | 4% |
| Nursing | 2,214 | 4% |
| Performance Appraisal | 2,150 | 4% |
| Crisis Intervention | 2,123 | 4% |
| Medicaid | 2,080 | 4% |
| Behavioral Health | 2,037 | 4% |
| Program Development | 1,998 | 4% |
| Data Collection | 1,887 | 4% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 21,595 | 40% |
| Management | 17,257 | 32% |
| Leadership | 16,624 | 31% |
| Planning | 11,403 | 21% |
| Operations | 11,154 | 21% |
| Customer Service | 9,581 | 18% |
| Coordinating | 9,354 | 18% |
| Writing | 8,277 | 15% |
| Problem Solving | 6,926 | 13% |
| Program Management | 6,902 | 13% |
| Microsoft Office | 6,641 | 12% |
| Advocacy | 6,052 | 11% |
| Detail Oriented | 5,543 | 10% |
| Research | 5,112 | 10% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 5,014 | 9% |
| Microsoft Excel | 4,938 | 9% |
| Presentations | 4,902 | 9% |
| Supervision | 4,622 | 9% |
| Organizational Skills | 4,456 | 8% |
| Computer Literacy | 4,220 | 8% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about program directors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for program directors.
What do program directors do?
How much do program directors make?
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