Contract Program Manager Salary in the United States

How much does a Contract Program Manager make in the United States?

As of March 01, 2026, the average salary for a Contract Program Manager in the United States is $133,746 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $64.

However, a Contract Program Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $156,731
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $118,394 to $145,777
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $104,417
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View as table View as graph 25% $118,394 10% $104,417 90% $156,731 75% $145,777 $133,746 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Contract Program Manager Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $145,777 $12,148 $2,803 $70
Average $133,746 $11,146 $2,572 $64
25th Percentile $118,394 $9,866 $2,277 $57
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Key Factors That Influence Contract Program Manager Salaries

A Contract Program 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 Contract Program Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Contract Program 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): $96,213
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $118,042
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $134,812
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $180,425
  • Expert (over 8 years): $246,645
Levels Salary
Contracts... Level Contract Program Manager$96,213
Contracts... Level Contract Program Manager$118,042
Contract ... Level Contract Program Manager$134,812
Contracts... Level Contract Program Manager$180,425
SVP of Co... Level Contract Program Manager$246,645
$96,213 0 yr
$118,042 < 2 yrs
$134,812 2-4 yrs
$180,425 5-8 yrs
$246,645 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Contract Program 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 Contract Program Managers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $148,084.
  • California: $147,522.
  • Massachusetts: $145,556.

Top Paying Cities for Contract Program 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: $168,694
  • San Francisco: $167,035
  • Oakland: $163,331

What Skills Can Increase a Contract Program Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Negotiating (Mentioned in 5.58% Job Postings): Applying negotiation concepts and techniques in a dialogue between two or more parties to reach a win-win solution.
  • Business Development (Mentioned in 2.26% Job Postings): Business development entails tasks and processes to develop and implement growth opportunities within and between organizations. It is a subset of the fields of business, commerce and organizational theory. Business development is the creation of long-term value for an organization from customers, markets, and relationships. Business development can be taken to mean any activity by either a small or large organization, non-profit or for-profit enterprise which serves the purpose of ‘developing’ the business in some way. In addition, business development activities can be done internally or externally by a business development consultant. External business development can be facilitated through Planning Systems, which are put in place by governments to help small businesses. In addition, reputation building has also proven to help facilitate business development.
  • Government Contracting (Mentioned in 1.47% Job Postings):
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Negotiating 5.58%
Business Development 2.26%
Government Contracting 1.47%
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 a Contract Program Manager's salary.
  • Workflow Management: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Clinical Trial: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Proposal Development: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Workflow Management
 $143,108
7%
Clinical Trial
 $137,758
3%
Proposal Development
 $137,758
3%
Process Improvement
 $136,421
2%
Leadership
 $136,421
2%
Government Contracting
 $136,421
2%
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How Education impacts a Contract Program Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Contract Program 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 a Contract Program Manager with a Bachelor's Degree is between $131,499 and $141,538).

Contract Program Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Contract Program Manager
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.2%
High School 8.0%
Associates 5.9%
Bachelors 38.3%
Masters 26.8%
Doctorate 20.8%
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Contract Program Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Contract Program 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.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on March 01, 2026
$118,394
Average $133,746/year
$145,777
$9,866
Average $11,146/month
$12,148
$2,277
Average $2,572/week
$2,803
$57
Average $64/hour
$70
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $145,777 $12,148 $2,803 $70
Average $133,746 $11,146 $2,572 $64
25th Percentile $118,394 $9,866 $2,277 $57

Salaries of jobs related to Contract Program Manager

Salary Trends for Contract Program Manager

Salaries for a Contract Program Manager can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $123,840 in 2023 to around $121,632 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Contract Program Manager salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Contract Program Manager Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$123,840
2024
$123,909
2025
$121,632
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $123,840
2024 $123,909
2025 $121,632
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for Contract Program Manager

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Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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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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