How much does a Program Specialist I make in the United States?
As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Program Specialist I in the United States is $67,166 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $32.
However, a Program Specialist I's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $81,691
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $57,170 to $74,769
Key Factors That Influence Program Specialist I Salaries
A Program Specialist I's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how geographic location
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Do Program Specialist I 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 Program Specialist Is. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $74,366.
California: $74,084.
Massachusetts: $73,097.
District of Columbia$74,366
California$74,084
Massachusetts$73,097
Washington$72,828
New Jersey$72,801
Alaska$72,707
Connecticut$71,780
New York$71,404
Hawaii$70,202
Rhode Island$69,638
Maryland$69,255
Minnesota$68,731
Colorado$68,530
Illinois$68,462
Oregon$68,207
Delaware$68,019
New Hampshire$67,901
Virginia$67,636
Pennsylvania$66,864
Nevada$66,474
North Dakota$66,347
Michigan$66,145
Wisconsin$66,071
Vermont$65,924
Texas$65,514
Maine$65,487
Arizona$65,447
Ohio$65,400
Georgia$64,782
Indiana$64,473
Wyoming$64,412
Utah$64,318
Iowa$64,278
Kansas$63,956
Louisiana$63,862
North Carolina$63,828
Missouri$63,815
Florida$63,553
Montana$63,412
Nebraska$63,277
Kentucky$63,203
South Carolina$62,935
Tennessee$62,767
Idaho$62,700
New Mexico$62,209
Oklahoma$62,102
Alabama$61,705
South Dakota$61,041
Arkansas$60,678
West Virginia$60,483
Mississippi$59,899
Top Paying Cities for Program Specialist Is
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: $84,717
San Francisco: $83,789
Oakland: $82,023
San Jose, CA$84,717
San Francisco, CA$83,789
Oakland, CA$82,023
New York, NY$77,334
Paramus, NJ$76,394
Queens Village, NY$76,391
Passaic, NJ$76,327
Bergenfield, NJ$76,321
Stamford, CT$76,173
Huntington, NY$76,146
Newark, NJ$75,649
Bridgeport, CT$75,507
Vallejo, CA$75,374
New Brunswick, NJ$75,347
Petaluma, CA$75,307
Middlesex, NJ$75,179
Somerset, NJ$75,132
Santa Cruz, CA$75,045
Boston, MA$74,635
Monterey, CA$74,399
Seattle, WA$74,245
Santa Rosa, CA$74,232
Los Angeles, CA$74,212
Juneau, AK$74,037
Washington, DC$73,963
Orange, CA$73,724
Santa Ana, CA$73,547
Long Beach, CA$73,480
Anaheim, CA$73,466
Anchorage, AK$73,433
Santa Maria, CA$73,231
Everett, WA$73,218
Danbury, CT$72,981
Bremerton, WA$72,889
Tacoma, WA$72,647
New Suffolk, NY$72,646
Sacramento, CA$72,627
Santa Barbara, CA$72,553
Trenton, NJ$72,479
San Diego, CA$72,479
Brockton, MA$72,405
Fairbanks, AK$72,240
Lompoc, CA$72,069
Lowell, MA$72,015
Ventura, CA$72,002
Nashua, NH$71,989
Stockton, CA$71,982
Modesto, CA$71,492
Poughkeepsie, NY$71,344
Olympia, WA$71,216
Kennewick, WA$71,216
New Haven, CT$71,189
Lawrence, MA$70,948
Hartford, CT$70,880
Riverside, CA$70,867
New Bedford, MA$70,800
Richland, WA$70,800
Bakersfield, CA$70,706
San Bernardino, CA$70,679
New Britain, CT$70,672
Atlantic City, NJ$70,672
New London, CT$70,645
Norwich, CT$70,625
Portsmouth, NH$70,612
Boulder, CO$70,469
Portland, OR$70,377
Worcester, MA$70,370
Minneapolis, MN$70,162
Philadelphia, PA$70,068
Honolulu, HI$69,846
Saint Paul, MN$69,814
Vineland, NJ$69,799
Providence, RI$69,604
Chicago, IL$69,409
Bellingham, WA$69,329
Springfield, MA$69,275
Baltimore, MD$69,255
Chico, CA$69,087
Pittsfield, MA$68,906
Manchester, NH$68,778
Spokane, WA$68,483
Denver, CO$68,476
Albany, NY$68,160
Troy, NY$68,133
Nassau, NY$68,061
Schenectady, NY$67,992
Wilmington, DE$67,939
Burlington, VT$67,844
Salem, OR$67,818
Portland, ME$67,609
Yakima, WA$67,542
Rochester, MN$67,334
Reno, NV$67,300
Fresno, CA$67,300
Milwaukee, WI$67,240
Detroit, MI$67,173
Ann Arbor, MI$67,161
Allentown, PA$67,153
Colorado Springs, CO$67,038
Syracuse, NY$67,005
Carson City, NV$67,005
Houston, TX$66,911
Eugene, OR$66,877
Gary, IN$66,797
Springfield, OR$66,743
Bismarck, ND$66,730
Galveston, TX$66,683
Medford, OR$66,582
Fort Collins, CO$66,555
Concord, NH$66,521
Austin, TX$66,501
Mesa, AZ$66,360
Reading, PA$66,353
Phoenix, AZ$66,347
Dallas, TX$66,327
Saint Cloud, MN$66,262
Madison, WI$66,172
Utica, NY$65,991
Rochester, NY$65,883
Des Moines, IA$65,877
Raleigh, NC$65,870
Atlanta, GA$65,769
Battle Creek, MI$65,749
Salt Lake City, UT$65,729
Lancaster, PA$65,628
Harrisburg, PA$65,534
Kansas City, MO$65,467
Champaign, IL$65,453
Kansas City, KS$65,453
Fort Worth, TX$65,447
Columbus, OH$65,435
Boca Raton, FL$65,420
Pittsburgh, PA$65,393
Richmond, VA$65,366
Indianapolis, IN$65,353
Cleveland, OH$65,346
Las Vegas, NV$65,265
Cincinnati, OH$65,265
Petersburg, VA$65,165
Huntsville, AL$65,064
Lansing, MI$65,019
Lebanon, PA$65,010
Pueblo, CO$65,003
Appleton, WI$64,983
Buffalo, NY$64,956
Dayton, OH$64,936
Racine, WI$64,923
Charlotte, NC$64,916
Saint Louis, MO$64,896
York, PA$64,856
Elkhart, IN$64,856
Gastonia, NC$64,843
Billings, MT$64,827
Beaumont, TX$64,809
Lorain, OH$64,795
Benton Harbor, MI$64,782
Toledo, OH$64,768
Binghamton, NY$64,735
Rock Hill, SC$64,728
Rockford, IL$64,694
Springfield, IL$64,668
Elyria, OH$64,661
Fargo, ND$64,661
Flagstaff, AZ$64,614
Fort Lauderdale, FL$64,573
Duluth, MN$64,533
Miami, FL$64,533
Cheyenne, WY$64,486
Grand Forks, ND$64,486
Bangor, ME$64,338
Cedar Rapids, IA$64,265
Durham, NC$64,236
Louisville, KY$64,231
Grand Rapids, MI$64,218
Hialeah, FL$64,211
Casper, WY$64,117
Scranton, PA$64,036
New Orleans, LA$64,016
Virginia Beach, VA$64,009
Akron, OH$63,976
Peoria, IL$63,888
Sarasota, FL$63,875
Nashville, TN$63,828
Omaha, NE$63,828
Green Bay, WI$63,828
Baton Rouge, LA$63,794
Charleston, SC$63,781
Jamestown, NY$63,747
Davenport, IA$63,747
Tucson, AZ$63,714
Saint Petersburg, FL$63,673
Tampa, FL$63,660
Evansville, IN$63,620
Port Arthur, TX$63,620
Bradenton, FL$63,593
Santa Fe, NM$63,472
Orlando, FL$63,351
Clearwater, FL$63,331
Canton, OH$63,190
La Crosse, WI$63,190
Albuquerque, NM$63,150
Newport News, VA$63,143
High Point, NC$63,123
Ogden, UT$63,096
Corpus Christi, TX$63,042
Norfolk, VA$63,002
Laramie, WY$63,002
Rock Island, IL$62,962
Saginaw, MI$62,948
Jacksonville, FL$62,941
Salisbury, NC$62,928
Boise, ID$62,914
Moline, IL$62,881
Fort Myers, FL$62,861
Memphis, TN$62,847
Tulsa, OK$62,814
Waterloo, IA$62,773
Spartanburg, SC$62,706
Lincoln, NE$62,673
Fort Wayne, IN$62,659
Provo, UT$62,653
Cedar Falls, IA$62,572
San Antonio, TX$62,545
Greensboro, NC$62,518
South Bend, IN$62,511
Savannah, GA$62,438
Muskegon, MI$62,411
Birmingham, AL$62,404
Winston Salem, NC$62,371
Lake Charles, LA$62,209
Anderson, IN$62,196
Lexington, KY$62,176
Augusta, GA$62,156
Greenville, SC$62,156
Lima, OH$62,102
Wichita, KS$62,095
Tuscaloosa, AL$62,095
Columbia, SC$62,035
Springfield, OH$62,021
Asheville, NC$61,914
Bloomington, IN$61,867
Knoxville, TN$61,625
Shreveport, LA$61,618
Wilmington, NC$61,531
Roanoke, VA$61,531
Topeka, KS$61,410
Frankfort, KY$61,403
Oklahoma City, OK$61,356
Chillicothe, OH$61,329
Longview, TX$61,323
Melbourne, FL$61,316
Sioux Falls, SD$61,208
Mobile, AL$61,202
Terre Haute, IN$61,175
Altoona, PA$61,135
Amarillo, TX$61,088
Killeen, TX$61,067
Fayetteville, AR$61,014
Chattanooga, TN$60,994
Sioux City, IA$60,933
Idaho Falls, ID$60,920
Lynchburg, VA$60,866
Gainesville, FL$60,779
Portsmouth, OH$60,745
Little Rock, AR$60,732
Lafayette, LA$60,705
Youngstown, OH$60,705
Daytona Beach, FL$60,664
Clarksville, TN$60,658
Pensacola, FL$60,651
Temple, TX$60,646
Hopkinsville, KY$60,449
Erie, PA$60,436
Florence, SC$60,409
Charleston, WV$60,302
Great Falls, MT$60,268
Macon, GA$60,174
Tallahassee, FL$60,167
Fayetteville, NC$60,154
Waco, TX$60,141
Helena, MT$60,094
Pine Bluff, AR$60,068
Vincennes, IN$59,986
Lubbock, TX$59,959
Alamogordo, NM$59,919
Twin Falls, ID$59,858
Rapid City, SD$59,838
Jackson, MS$59,717
Huntington, WV$59,713
Greenville, MS$59,711
Parkersburg, WV$59,642
Montgomery, AL$59,630
Wichita Falls, TX$59,563
Springfield, MO$59,563
Biloxi, MS$59,529
Monroe, LA$59,462
Johnstown, PA$59,415
Sumter, SC$59,388
Columbus, GA$59,382
Pascagoula, MS$59,254
Abilene, TX$59,254
Kingsport, TN$59,079
Albany, GA$59,079
Gulfport, MS$59,059
Alexandria, LA$58,838
Fort Smith, AR$58,670
El Paso, TX$58,488
Las Cruces, NM$58,186
Harlingen, TX$58,015
Pocatello, ID$58,005
Florence, AL$57,917
Brownsville, TX$57,904
Mcallen, TX$57,763
Dothan, AL$57,669
Columbus, MS$57,270
Altus, OK$56,957
Lawton, OK$56,829
Pierre, SD$56,587
What Skills Can Increase a Program Specialist I's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Accountability (Mentioned in 5.18% Job Postings): Setting and holding oneself and others to stated expectations by associating tasks with our business's mission, values, and goals.
Nursing Practice (Mentioned in 2.97% Job Postings): Nursing practice may be work experience that is direct and/or indirect patient care in clinical practice, nursing administration, education, research, or consultation in the specialty represented by the credential.
Pediatric (Mentioned in 1.94% Job Postings): Pediatrics is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.
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 a Program Specialist I's salary.
Staff Development: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Critical Care: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Community Health: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Program Specialist I Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Program Specialist I roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 70% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Software & Networking and Financial Services
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 40% above the average.
In contrast, Program Specialist positions in Retail & Wholesale or Transportation typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Program Specialist I as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Program Specialist I
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking
$94,033
$45.0
40%
Financial Services
$87,316
$42.0
30%
Biotechnology
$83,958
$40.0
25%
Energy & Utilities
$80,599
$39.0
20%
Aerospace & Defense
$77,241
$37.0
15%
Program Specialist I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Program Specialist I'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.
Salaries for a Program Specialist I can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $64,541 in 2023
to around $64,059 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Program Specialist I salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Program Specialist I Over Time
$???
$64,541
$64,621
$64,059
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$64,541
2024
$64,621
2025
$64,059
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Program Specialist I
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Program Specialist I
Here are companies hiring for Program Specialist I and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
Find Your Next Program Specialist I Job
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FAQ about Program Specialist I
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Program Specialist I?
The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Program Specialist I roles,
with salaries approximately 40% above the market median.
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.
