Project management delivers a specific outcome within scope, time, and budget, while program management coordinates several related projects for broader benefits.
Project management
- Delivers a specific outcome with a start and end.
- Focus: scope, schedule and budget.
- Led by a project manager.
Program management
- Coordinates a group of related projects.
- Focus: benefits and strategy.
- Led by a program manager.
Portfolio
Portfolio management selects which programs to run.
Certifications
PMP for projects, PgMP for programs.
Scope and structure
A project is temporary and has a defined start, end and deliverable. Program management coordinates a group of related projects to achieve benefits that would not be gained by managing them separately. Portfolio management selects and prioritizes programs and projects to align with strategy.
- A project manager focuses on scope, schedule, cost and quality of one deliverable.
- A program manager manages interdependencies, benefits realization and stakeholders across multiple projects, often over years.
- The Project Management Institute (PMI) defines these in its Standard for Program Management.
Certifications and careers
PMI offers PMP (Project Management Professional), which requires 36 months of experience with a four-year degree or 60 months otherwise, plus 35 hours of education, and PgMP (Program Management Professional). Other credentials include PRINCE2 and CAPM. According to PMI salary surveys, program managers generally earn more than project managers because of greater scope. Typical tools include Microsoft Project, Jira and Asana.
Scope and structure
A project has a defined start and end and delivers a specific output. A program is a group of related projects managed together to achieve benefits. The Project Management Institute defines program management as coordinating interdependent projects.
Certifications and careers
PMI offers the PMP for project managers and the PgMP for program managers. The PMP requires 36 or 60 months of experience depending on education, with 35 hours of training.
Governance and benefits
Program managers focus on strategic alignment and benefit realization across several projects, while project managers deliver specific outputs on time and budget. The PMI Pulse of the Profession reports that organizations waste 11.4 percent of investment due to poor project performance. A program may include ongoing operations, which projects do not.
Career data
PMI’s salary survey shows median project manager pay of about 123,000 USD in the US in 2023. There are more than 1.5 million PMP credential holders worldwide. Program managers may earn 20 to 30 percent more. Tools include Microsoft Project, Jira and Smartsheet. Agile frameworks use product owners and scrum masters.
Based on data from the Project Management Institute and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics
