Mid-Level

Program Assistant

Program assistants support the operation of a specific program โ€” handling paperwork, communications, scheduling, and the administrative work that keeps the program running.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
C
E
A
S
R
I
Conventionalorganizing, detail-oriented
Enterprisingleading, persuading
Based on Holland Code framework
Job markets for Program Assistants
Employment concentration ยท ~400 areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
What it's like

What it's like to be a Program Assistant

Workdays mix standing program tasks โ€” recurring reports, participant communication, paperwork โ€” with reactive work as program activities require. The mix shifts based on the program cycle โ€” enrollment seasons, reporting deadlines, event cycles.

Collaboration involves program leadership, participants, and sometimes external partners. What's harder than expected is the participant-facing dimension โ€” programs often serve people in difficult circumstances, and the administrative work is sometimes tied to outcomes that matter for those participants beyond paperwork.

People who thrive tend to be organized, warm, and mission-aligned. If you care about the program's purpose, the role often feels meaningful in ways that purely administrative work doesn't. People who can't hold both the precision (paperwork) and the warmth (participants) tend to find one half slipping while they focus on the other.

RelationshipsModerate
AchievementModerate
IndependenceModerate
Working ConditionsModerate
RecognitionModerate
SupportLower
O*NET Work Values survey
โœฆ Editorial โ€” written by Truest from industry research and career patterns
Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape โ€” and where it can take you.

$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Program Assistants (SOC 27-2012.00, 43-6014.00), not just this title ยท BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Also appears in: Arts & Media
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โœฆ Editorial โ€” career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape โ€” helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$32Kโ€“$199K
Salary Range
10th โ€“ 90th percentile
1.9M
U.S. Employment
+1.65%
10yr Growth
216K
Annual Openings

How this category is changing

$64K$61K$59K$56K$53K201920202021202220232024$53K$64K
BLS OEWS May 2024 ยท BLS Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034

Skills & Requirements

Active ListeningSpeakingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionSpeakingCritical ThinkingMonitoringReading ComprehensionSocial PerceptivenessCoordination
O*NET OnLine ยท Bureau of Labor Statistics
27-2012.0043-6014.00

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) ยท BLS Employment Projections ยท O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.