What is a Technical Program Manager’s Salary?
Do you want to know what the technical program manager’s salary is? Well, you’re in the right place!
According to salary information websites like Comparably, the average technical program manager salary in the US ranges from $114,032 to $285,559. Their wages depend on myriad factors: experience, education level, location, and type of company.
Zippia’s website reports that the median salary is over $148,000 annually as managers progress to senior levels. The same webpage projects that the growth rate of these roles is 11%, producing 46,000 jobs across the United States.
Find an in-depth overview of a technical program manager’s salary in this article according to various salary websites and other crucial factors mentioned above.
Let’s dive in.
Average Technical Program Manager Salary
Since their job scope is quite comprehensive; their pay scale is lucrative too. They align teams, communicate, report, interact with product stakeholders, and define scopes to deliver multiple technical projects, driving company strategy.
Due to the leadership and project management nature of the technical program manager roles, most organizations offer full-time positions. However, as remote work is becoming the norm, a handful of organizations also provide remote jobs for technical program managers.
Let’s look at the average income of a technical project manager based on statistics from leading employment websites in the US. These websites publish data according to anonymous salary reports of employees who work in companies of different natures. So they serve as a guideline for you to figure the average base of manager salary when writing as technical manager salary varies per the other factors mentioned below.
1. Comparably
Comparably delivers data on salaries and other valuable details that employees require.
So, according to the website, the average technical program manager’s base salary here in the US is $124,446. In addition, it also reports that 50% of the technical program managers have received a bonus in addition to the average base wage.
Comparably, it also allows you to add filters with numerous parameters to refine your search to get a comprehensive image of the earnings of technical program managers.
These parameters include the average salary by state, company size, stage, education level, years of experience, gender, and ethnicity. For example, San Francisco is the best place to work as a technical program manager, whose average salary is $168,817, 36% more than the median US.
Looking to become a technical program manager? Enroll in our top-rated technical product management certification courses to do just that:
2. ZipRecruiter
ZipRecruiter is another important website responsible for acquiring data relevant to the salary of a technical program manager. It gathers all its data from various job posting sites and third-party sources.
Based on ZipRecruiter data, a technical program manager earns a median salary of $134,148 per annum. If you drill this amount down further, this amounts to $64 per hour.
ZipRecruiter shows the salary ranges of a technical program manager in the form of histograms. Furthermore, it shows these salary ranges with a single click after entering your city, state, or postcode. In addition to the average salary figures, it automatically displays the salary details of your location by detecting your area.
Find the latest job alerts on various technical project manager-related job titles by signing in freely with the ZipRecruiter site.
3. Indeed
Indeed needs no introduction. Nevertheless, it’s a great source to explore the salary information of technical program managers and similar jobs.
Regarding how much a technical program manager makes in the US, Indeed indicates that it’s approximately $115,494 per annum.
Indeed also shows the top companies in the US for a technical program manager and their reviews. Thus it eases the decision-making process for employers and employees in choosing which organization to work for.
Regarding project management roles like technical program managers, benefits and incentives are vital factors affecting career satisfaction. So Indeed lists them as well.
4. Glassdoor
Glassdoor enhances workplace transparency and provides information on the employee experience based on millions of company ratings and reviews.
According to Glassdoor, technical program managers in the United States earn an estimated $129,313 in total compensation per year, with an average income of $111,564.
The expected salary for a technical program manager is $17,748 per year. Cash bonuses, commissions, tips, and profit sharing are all possible forms of additional compensation.
Career Outlook for a Technical Program Manager
So far, in this article, you have discovered various technical program manager salary figures from multiple sources. As mentioned, one factor that depends on the salary of technical program managers is professional experience. So let’s discover what a technical program manager makes at each experience level.
Junior Technical Program Manager
A junior technical program manager is the entry point in the technical program management career ladder. They may gain an entry-level position in a start-up or even a reputed company after completing a bachelor’s degree or relevant experience in project management.
Although a junior technical program manager makes around $64,131 per annum, at this stage, you expect to acquire sufficient experience and skills before moving into senior roles.
Senior Technical Program Manager
After five or more years of experience at the junior level, you’re eligible for a senior position in your current company or a different one. A senior technical program manager’s salary is $131,678 per annum, and once again, San Francisco tops the salary scale with $131,667.
According to the above website, the standard salary range for a senior technical program manager is between $95,053 to $180,000.
Lead Technical Program Manager
This job is ideal for a responsible manager who takes pride in leadership skills, where you must prioritize and review tasks ruthlessly, clarify project scopes, respond to co-workers, verify security, proceed with Ray ID and Cloudflare, do verification successful waiting, and manage project escalations. More importantly, it would be best if you manage risks. In any industry, risk management is a critical factor for senior managers. Lead technical program managers are responsible for proceeding to take action against any technical projects,
So, such mammoth security responsibilities come with handsome pay.
Glassdoor site reports that the median income per annum for a lead technical program manager is $132,369 for a reputed company like Mastercard. According to the page, the median pay ranges from $131,00 to $155,261 for the given number of companies.
Director, Technical Program Manager
When you have reached the director level, you have reached the peak of your technical program manager career. This role requires you to manage, monitor, and grow current tech program management teams. It would help if you also enhanced the existing tech program managers’ performance and guided them if and when they needed it.
Overall, a director of technical program management should lead from the front and transform stakeholders’ visions and projects into reality.
ZipRecruiter reports that the median salary for this role in the US is $162,731, which is $72 per hour. The city that tops the list the director of a technical program manager is Atkinson, with an annual salary figure of $223,529.
Top Paying Cities for Technical Program Managers
Your payscale also varies depending on the location of your workplace. Below is a list of the highest-paying cities in the US for this role per year, according to the Indeed.
California
- Mountain View: $141,767
- San Francisco: $141,232
- Santa Clara: $137,900
- San Ramon: $131,619
Washington
- Seattle: $129,859
- Bellevue: $126,630
- Redmond: $125,103
Georgia
- Atlanta: $121,479
Utah
- Salt Lake City: $114,538
Education Level for Technical Program Manager Role
To become a technical program manager, you should have strong people management skills. So to gain fundamental management skills, it’s ideal to have a bachelor’s degree, mainly in Business Administration or Management, culminating with some knowledge of your expertise.
For instance, if you’re a tech program manager in a tech-savvy company like Google, you must have a minor in Information Technology or Information Systems.
However, as you progress to more senior roles, it’s critical to have a Master of Business Administration (MBA) along with work experience. When you have more qualifications and experience, the companies will reward you with compensation of the highest order.
Another vital qualification that adds value to your payscale is certification courses. One of the primary industry-certified courses that makes you stand out among your competitors is:
Certified Technical Product Manager: This course helps you gain the core fundamental concepts of technical product management by sharpening your technical skills and managing software products. A module also gives you a wealth of knowledge on how to face product manager interviews.
Technical Program Manager Earnings Across Top Companies
Another factor that impacts the salaries of this role is the firm they work for. As you guessed, the tech industry offers more positions for tech manager roles than other industries.
According to Indeed, the salaries of tech program managers across various leading industries are available below.
- Google: $147,086
- The United States Department of Defense: $143,226
- Intel Corporation: $133,827
- IBM: $133,607
- Apple: $133,436
Final Remarks
As you have found out in this article, tech program managers’ salaries depend on several attributes, including years of experience, educational qualifications, and the location of the firm you work in.
Therefore, if you have not already built a portfolio, now it’s time to do so. You must also brush your interview abilities to show the potential employer that you’re confident enough to take up demanding challenges that a tech program manager has to confront.
If you’re a novice in tech program management, you should take the certified technical product manager course and build your portfolio with a sign of improvement. So get paid the amount you deserve.
FAQs
Here are answers to your questions regarding the technical program manager:
What does a technical program manager do?
A Technical Program Manager (TPM) oversees complex, cross-functional technology projects from inception to completion. TPMs also focus on technical aspects, leveraging their engineering background to understand challenges and facilitate effective solutions. They coordinate between various teams, manage project timelines, mitigate risks with human intervention, and ensure that projects align with strategic business goals.
What is TPM’s salary?
In the United States, the average annual salary ranges from $120,000 to $160,000, with higher figures in tech hubs like Silicon Valley. Senior TPMs or those at prestigious companies can earn upwards of $200,000 per year.
How much does Google pay for TPM?
Google compensates its Technical Program Managers quite generously, often reflecting the high demand for such roles. On average, a TPM at Google can expect to earn between $150,000 and $220,000 annually, including base salary, bonuses, and stock options. Experienced TPMs or those in managerial positions can see total compensation packages exceeding $250,000.
Is Technical program manager hard?
Being a Technical Program Manager can be challenging due to the multifaceted nature of the role. The role demands balancing technical problem-solving with strategic project management, often under tight deadlines and high expectations. It requires strong technical expertise, exceptional organizational skills, and making a good connection within the organization, and the ability to manage and align multiple stakeholders.
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