Unlocking Career Growth Through Program Manager Certification

Key Takeaways

A program manager certification helps you expand your leadership abilities and validate your knowledge to meet strategic organizational objectives.

• A program manager certification is a credential that shows your current or prospective employer that you have undertaken advanced training to successfully coordinate multiple projects and meet strategic organizational objectives.

• The Project Management Institute offers a Program Management Professional certification that requires a combination of education and practical experience, such as a high school diploma or a bachelor's degree alongside specific years of project and program management experience.

• You can complete an application online and pay for the exam to begin the process of obtaining this training.

If implementing big-picture strategies and coordinating related projects and teams sounds exciting, you may want to consider program manager certification. This valuable training can help you expand your leadership abilities in your current role or transition to a new one. Learn more about program manager certification, the types of people it can benefit, and the steps you can take to get this training. Expand your professional opportunities and build your knowledge by enrolling in the Leading People and Teams Specialization from the University of Michigan on Coursera.

What is program manager certification?

A program manager certification shows your current or prospective employer that you have undertaken advanced training. It validates that you have the knowledge and skills to meet strategic organizational objectives and successfully coordinate multiple projects. A program manager certification can build your leadership skills, enhance your career profile among work colleagues, and advance your career and salary within an organization. 

Who should consider becoming a certified program manager?

Becoming a certified program manager requires a combination of education and practical experience. Generally speaking, you should consider program manager certification if:

• You want to expand your current project manager role

• You want to transition into a program management position within your company

• You want to get a program management position with a new company

Program manager salary 

According to Glassdoor, the average annual salary for program managers in the US totals $122,000 annually as of June 2025 [1]. This figure represents the base salary, which does not include extra pay like annual bonuses or profit sharing. 

How to earn your program manager certification

You can obtain a Program Management Professional (PgMP) certification through the Project Management Institute (PMI), a nonprofit organization that promotes the profession of project management worldwide. 

Prerequisites you need to earn the PgMP through PMI include either:

• A high school diploma or associate degree

• Four years of experience as a project manager or a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification 

• Seven years of experience as a program manager within the last 15 years

Or

• A bachelor’s degree

• Four years of experience as a project manager or a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification

• Four years of experience as a program manager within the last 15 years

Once you’ve determined you’re eligible for the PgMP certification, you can take the following steps to get the training:

• Complete an application online by clicking the apply button here, and pay for the exam ($800 for members of PMI and $1,000 for non-members [2].

• Schedule the exam at one of the approved Pearson testing centers worldwide or schedule a time to take it from home with monitoring from an approved online proctor.

• Take an optional course designed to help you study for the exam.

• Take the exam (170 questions in 240 minutes [2]).

Strategies for preparing for the program manager certification exam

Preparing for any certification exam in advance can help ensure success. To increase the odds that you’ll successfully earn the credential, consider these key strategies:

Utilize related study guides and prep courses.

The PMI website offers abundant resources to help you study for the PgMP exam. These include:

• A study guide

• Practice exams

• Flashcards

• A prep course

Develop a study plan.

A successful study plan starts with a comfortable and productive place to study, like your bedroom, home office, or a corner table in a local coffee shop. Because this test covers a range of advanced concepts and practices in program management, you’ll want to begin studying several months before the exam and set up a regular study schedule.

Focus on key concepts.

To prepare for the PgMP exam, it helps to become well-versed in certain program management domains. Explore five of these domains and the estimated quantities of related test questions indicated by percentages [2].

1. Program life cycle: The various stages of a program from beginning to end, 44 percent

2. Stakeholder management: The ability to identify, understand, and communicate with stakeholders during the course of a program life cycle, 16 percent 

3. Strategic program management: The alignment of program elements and procedures with organizational objectives, 15 percent

4. Governance: The processes of program oversight and decision-making, 14 percent

5. Benefits management: The ability to identify and manage the benefits a program needs for success, 11 percent

Program manager career possibilities

As a certified program manager, you can work in a variety of different industries. These might include:

• Business

• Construction

• Engineering

• Finance

• Health care 

• Information technology

• Law

• Manufacturing

You’ll also develop various skills that may transfer over to other positions. Some of these include:

• Analytical thinking

• Conflict resolution

• Organizational skills

• Negotiation skills

• People management

• Problem-solving

• Resource management

• Team building

• Visualization skills

Explore these three examples to understand what positions you can hold within a program manager career trajectory. 

1. Project manager

Average annual salary: $105,000 [3]

Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in business, computer science, or engineering

The job: Project managers oversee and manage all elements and processes of a project from beginning to end. They collaborate with others working on the project, communicate with stakeholders, and support project elements like budgeting and delivering the finished result on time.

2. IT program manager

Average annual salary: $179,000 [4]

Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in IT, computer science

The job: IT program managers oversee tech-related programs and ensure they align with the company’s objectives. They create and implement frameworks, select participants to collaborate with, oversee budgeting, and define a project’s scope.

3. Senior program manager

Average annual salary: $200,000 [5]

Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in business, computer science, or engineering; some employers may require a Master's in Business Administration (MBA)

The job: Senior program managers are in charge of program planning and execution, and may lead teams through the process. They ensure that all program practices align with company goals and strategies.

Job outlook for program managers

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs in management should grow at a rate that is faster than average from 2024 to 2034 compared to other types of jobs [6]. BLS also anticipates a 17 percent growth in jobs for computer and information systems managers during the same period [7]. This data demonstrates the strong growth potential for program management professionals with the right skill set. 

Keep building your program management skills with free resources

To help build the knowledge and skills you need to become a certified program manager, consider studying free resources before deciding if you want to enroll in a certification program. To keep learning, check out these resources:

• Read an interview with a fellow learner: 8 Questions with an Expert: Google Financial Data Analyst

• Subscribe to our newsletter: Career Chat

• Watch our video on YouTube: Career Spotlight: Program Manager

Whether you want to develop a new skill, get comfortable with an in-demand technology, or advance your abilities, keep growing with a Coursera Plus subscription. You’ll get access to over 10,000 flexible courses.

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