Program Manager III Salary in the United States

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

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Program Manager III in the United States is $142,786 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $69.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $172,879
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $129,188 to $158,538
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $116,808
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View as table View as graph 25% $129,188 10% $116,808 90% $172,879 75% $158,538 $142,786 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Program Manager III Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $158,538 $13,212 $3,049 $76
Average $142,786 $11,899 $2,746 $69
25th Percentile $129,188 $10,766 $2,484 $62
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Key Factors That Influence Program Manager III Salaries

A Program Manager III'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 Program Manager III Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Program Manager III'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): $139,009
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $139,576
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $140,520
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $141,842
  • Expert (over 8 years): $143,731
Levels Salary
Entry Level Program Manager III$139,009
Intermediate Level Program Manager III$139,576
Senior Level Program Manager III$140,520
Specialist Level Program Manager III$141,842
Expert Level Program Manager III$143,731
$139,009 0 yr
$139,576 < 2 yrs
$140,520 2-4 yrs
$141,842 5-8 yrs
$143,731 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Program Manager IIIs

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: $180,096
  • San Francisco: $178,325
  • Oakland: $174,370

What Skills Can Increase a Program Manager III'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 a Program Manager III'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
$154,209
8%
Scrum
$152,781
7%
Product Development
$152,781
7%
Computer Science
$151,353
6%
Change Management
$149,925
5%
Supply Chain
$149,925
5%
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How Education impacts a Program Manager III's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Program Manager IIIs 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 Program Manager III with a Bachelor's Degree is between $143,102 and $154,962).

Program Manager III Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Program Manager III
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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Program Manager III Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Program Manager III'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 Program Manager III

Salaries for a Program Manager III can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $121,203 in 2023 to around $119,720 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Program Manager III salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Program Manager III Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$121,203
2024
$120,800
2025
$119,720
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $121,203
2024 $120,800
2025 $119,720
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for Program Manager III

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

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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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