Program Manager vs. Project Manager: What’s the Difference?

Program managers and project managers have related and often intertwining roles, but there are important distinctions between the two. While a project manager orchestrates the success of individual projects, program managers oversee the strategy of all interrelated projects, collectively called a program.

Explore more about each role and learn how to decide which might be a better fit for you. Afterward, if you want to learn more about the project management career, consider enrolling in the Google Project Management Professional Certificate, where you'll gain an immersive understanding of key processes and skills.

Program manager vs. project manager

A program manager oversees groups of projects that are linked through a common organizational goal—collectively called a program. The program manager works to ensure the program aligns with the organization’s larger business strategy. They might:

• Work with project managers to plan project schedules, budgets, and goals

• Collaborate with executive management to help achieve an organization’s goals and come up with new strategies

• Facilitate communication across different projects and cross-functional teams

A project manager, on the other hand, ensures individual projects are carried out on time and within budget by following the project management life cycle. They assemble team members, plan project costs, manage risks, and make sure team members are on schedule. Specific tasks can include:

• Plan and acquire project resources like budget, teams, and tools

• Communicate with stakeholders (including program managers) and project team members to ensure alignment around goals.

• Maintain project progress by motivating team members, addressing pain points, and leading quality assurance.

Learn more: 9 Major Project Management Trends

How is program management different from project management?

The differences between project managers and program managers can be broken down largely into three main points:

• The scope of what they oversee: Program managers oversee groups of projects, while project managers lead individual projects. This makes the program manager more of a strategic player than the project manager.

• Their seniority: Program managers tend to have more managerial duties than project managers, as they can oversee multiple projects. This can lead to more responsibilities and higher salaries for program managers.

• The timelines of their work: Projects have limited timeframes while programs can run without a fixed end. This means a program manager can stay with a program indefinitely while a project manager is in charge of a project from beginning to end. A project manager will move from project to project, while a program manager will usually stay with the same program in their role.

How do these positions work together in practice?

Program managers and project managers work together when projects and programs overlap. Let’s say, for example, that you’re a program manager on a company’s design team. You might be in charge of ensuring project managers on the design team have the resources they need to execute their projects and that their project goals align with the team’s larger goals. If you were a project manager, you might oversee the projects themselves. For example, you might try to redesign the website or update the company’s branding.

Learn more: What Does a Project Coordinator Do?

Program vs. project management: Which should I choose?

Both project managers and program managers organize teams to meet a larger goal. However, because project managers generally move from project to project, project management can be a good choice for those who prefer variety in their work. You'll gain exposure to different types of projects and can build a portfolio of success to support your career growth.

Becoming a program manager can be a rewarding career move after gaining several years of experience as a project manager, and strengthening your leadership and problem-solving skills. As a program manager, you'll still have some exposure to variety since you'll be responsible for overseeing numerous projects aligned to a larger business goal, but you'll be responsible for contributing more of an impact through the projects in your program.

Program and project management require many of the same skills. If you're interested in either line of work, it may be best to get started in project management, usually as a project coordinator, and look for opportunities to advance from there.

Program vs. project manager: Salary and job growth

Program managers are considered a more senior role compared to project managers because they're tasked with overseeing multiple projects in a program. The average annual salary for a program manager is $98,483, according to Glassdoor. Project managers earn an average annual salary of $89,282.

Program and project manager salaries can depend on many factors, including industry and experience. Focusing your organizational abilities in in-demand areas, such as health care or construction, could yield higher pay. According to Glassdoor, health care program managers earn an average salary of $104,678, while construction program managers earn $117,191.

Program management and project management are both growing fields with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics expected to grow by seven percent between 2023-2033, which is faster than average [1].

Learn more: Your Guide to Construction Project Management

Project vs. program management skills

Project managers are expected to know how to manage risk, balance budgets, and implement project management tools, including those using AI, in addition to having leadership qualities and good communication skills. More specifically, key skills for a project manager typically include:

• Project management methodologies (eg. Agile, Waterfall, Scrum)

• Budgeting

• Risk management

• Using and implementing project management tools like Asana, GANTT charts, and burndown charts

Program managers often have strong managerial skills, familiarity with business operations, and project management skills. These can include:

• Operations and/or business knowledge

• Leadership and management

• Project management    

Both project managers and program managers should have the following:

• Industry experience

• Communication

• Cross-functional collaboration

• Organization

Read more: 12 Key Project Management Skills

Program and project manager certifications

Project manager certifications can solidify your expertise in project management or help you start on a path to becoming one.

• Project Management Professional (PMP): The PMP is the most commonly acquired project management certification in the world. The PMP is administered by the Project Management Institute (PMI).

• Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM): The CAPM is designed for candidates who hope to land entry-level project management positions. It’s also administered by the PMI.

• Google Project Management: Professional Certificate: The Google Project Management: Professional Certificate is a certificate program designed to prepare you for entry-level project management positions in six months or less, available on Coursera.

• Scrum Master certifications: Getting a Scrum Master certification often means becoming a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) or Professional Scrum Master (PSM I), though other Scrum Master certifications exist.

Read more: How to Get a PMP Certification: An Overview

Take a quick look at program manager job postings, and you’ll find that requests for program manager certifications are less frequent than certification requests for project managers. Still, program management certifications can be useful for those who want to improve their skills to take on more complex program management assignments.

• Program Management Professional (PgMP): The PMI offers the PgMP, which is designed for experienced program management professionals.

Develop your project management skills on Coursera

Learn the essentials of project management and develop job-ready skills with the Google Project Management: Professional Certificate. Over six courses, you'll learn how to create risk management plans, manage escalations and stakeholders, create budgets, and more. Plus completing the program qualifies you for 100 hours of project management education, which can help you prefer to pursue certain certifications through the Project Management Institute.

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