Program Directors: Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

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Program Directors

Program Directors direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in preparation of radio or television station program schedules and programs, such as sports or news.

Salary
$96690
Becoming One
Hard
Education
Bachelor's degree
Job Satisfaction
Job Growth

Personality



Job description

Program Directors direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in preparation of radio or television station program schedules and programs, such as sports or news.

  • Plan and schedule programming and event coverage, based on broadcast length, time availability, and other factors, such as community needs, ratings data, and viewer demographics.
  • Coordinate activities between departments, such as news and programming.
  • Direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in broadcast news, sports, or programming.
  • Monitor and review programming to ensure that schedules are met, guidelines are adhered to, and performances are of adequate quality.
Read more about what does a Program Director really do at work and what is it like being and working as one.



Salary

Average salary
$89840 per year

Average hourly wage
$43 per hour


Program Directors with little to no experience tend to make between $34450 and $48520 while the more experienced ones can earn over $110350 per year.

Top 5 paying states Hourly Annual
NY $56 $115,610
CA $55 $115,080
NJ $44 $92,180
DC $43 $89,390
CT $41 $84,900

One of the easiest ways to increase your salary as a Program Director is to move to a higher paying state like NY. Right now, the highest paying states for Program Directors are NY, CA, NJ, DC and CT.

However, a higher pay at NY doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the living expenses at NY might be twice as high than where you are currently at now.

Three other factors that can increase your salary as a Program Director is the degree you hold, the industry you work in, and lastly the company you work for.


Requirements

Recommended degree level
Bachelor’s degree

We asked other Program Directors what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had a Bachelor’s Degree followed by a High School Diploma.

Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.

Radio and Television
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
Directing and Theatrical Production
Musical Theatre
Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other
Read more about how to become a Program Director and the degree, training and education you need.

Pros and Cons

Here are some of the pros and cons of being a Program Director.

PROS
Suitable for people who likes to start and carry out projects
Suitable for people who values achievements and are results-oriented
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
Very high salary (top 25% highest paid careers)
CONS
Not suitable for people who likes practical and hands-on work
It is hard to get into this career. A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
Long working hours (More than 40 hours per week)

What is the job like

Job satisfaction
68%

Is this job meaningful
49%


68% of Program Directors said they were satisfied with their job and 49% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.


Is this right for me

Best personality for this career
The Entrepreneurs and The Organizers

You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tends to like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business..

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.



Learn more about Program Directors

Summary (You are here)
Job Description
Salary
Requirements
Quiz

Related career information

Program Directors job description, Program Directors salary, Program Directors information, what is the job of a Program Director like, pros and cons about Program Directors, colleges and universities for Program Directors, is Program Directors the right career for me, careers in Art, Entertainment and Sports

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