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.
Table of Contents
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.
Salary
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
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 |
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
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
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.
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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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