Academic Programs Manager Salary in the United States

How much does an Academic Programs Manager make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for an Academic Programs Manager in the United States is $149,215 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $72.

However, an Academic Programs Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $184,726
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $135,984 to $167,803
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $123,938
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View as table View as graph 25% $135,984 10% $123,938 90% $184,726 75% $167,803 $149,215 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Academic Programs Manager Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $167,803 $13,984 $3,227 $81
Average $149,215 $12,435 $2,870 $72
25th Percentile $135,984 $11,332 $2,615 $65
Check out Academic Programs Manager Job Openings in the United States
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Key Factors That Influence Academic Programs Manager Salaries

An Academic Programs Manager's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Academic Programs Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Academic Programs Manager's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $140,568
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $141,141
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $142,096
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $143,432
  • Expert (over 8 years): $145,342
Levels Salary
Entry Level Academic Programs Manager$140,568
Intermediate Level Academic Programs Manager$141,141
Senior Level Academic Programs Manager$142,096
Specialist Level Academic Programs Manager$143,432
Expert Level Academic Programs Manager$145,342
$140,568 0 yr
$141,141 < 2 yrs
$142,096 2-4 yrs
$143,432 5-8 yrs
$145,342 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Academic Programs Manager Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Academic Programs Managers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $165,211.
  • California: $164,584.
  • Massachusetts: $162,391.

Top Paying Cities for Academic Programs Managers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $188,205
  • San Francisco: $186,355
  • Oakland: $182,221

What Skills Can Increase an Academic Programs Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 9.53% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Scrum (Mentioned in 1.25% Job Postings): Using an agile process for managing the lifecycle development of software products.
  • Continuous Improvement (Mentioned in 1.01% Job Postings): A continual improvement process, also often called a continuous improvement process (abbreviated as CIP or CI), is an ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once. Delivery (customer valued) processes are constantly evaluated and improved in the light of their efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility. Some see CIPs as a meta-process for most management systems (such as business process management, quality management, project management, and program management). W. Edwards Deming, a pioneer of the field, saw it as part of the 'system' whereby feedback from the process and customer were evaluated against organisational goals. The fact that it can be called a management process does not mean that it needs to be executed by 'management'; but rather merely that it makes decisions about the implementation of the delivery process and the design of the delivery process itself.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 9.53%
Scrum 1.25%
Continuous Improvement 1.01%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Academic Programs Manager's salary.
  • Software Development: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Scrum: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Product Development: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Software Development
$161,152
8%
Scrum
$159,660
7%
Product Development
$159,660
7%
Computer Science
$158,168
6%
Change Management
$156,676
5%
Supply Chain
$156,676
5%
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How Education impacts an Academic Programs Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Academic Programs Managers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Academic Programs Manager with a Bachelor's Degree is between $143,102 and $154,962).

Academic Programs Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Academic Programs Manager
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.3%
High School 4.0%
Associates 3.4%
Bachelors 37.5%
Masters 51.7%
Doctorate 3.1%
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Academic Programs Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Academic Programs Manager's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Academic Programs Manager

Salaries for an Academic Programs Manager can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $122,562 in 2023 to around $121,063 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Academic Programs Manager salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Academic Programs Manager Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$122,562
2024
$122,155
2025
$121,063
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $122,562
2024 $122,155
2025 $121,063
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Academic Programs Manager

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Academic Programs Manager

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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